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Fish Identification: Find Species


Family: Belonidae Needlefishes



(See list of species below)



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47 species (see list below)

1 of 1 Jump to:

Photo by Freitas, R.

Worldwide distribution in
Max. Length 140 cm TL
Ablennes hians (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Freitas, R.
 
Ablennes hians
[Flat needlefish]

Photo by Østergaard, T.

Eastern Atlantic and Medi
Max. Length 103.5 cm TL
Belone belone (Linnaeus, 1761)

Photo by Østergaard, T.
 
Belone belone
[Garfish]
No picture found
Endemic to Black Sea, Sea

 
Belone euxini
[]

Photo by Margies, P.

Eastern Atlantic

Belone svetovidovi Collette & Parin, 1970

Photo by Margies, P.
 
Belone svetovidovi
[]

Photo by American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

South America
Max. Length 5 cm SL
Belonion apodion Collette, 1966

Photo by American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
 
Belonion apodion
[]

Photo by American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

South America
Max. Length 4.8 cm SL
Belonion dibranchodon Collette, 1966

Photo by American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
 
Belonion dibranchodon
[]

Photo by SFSA

Southeast Atlantic and We
Max. Length 35 cm SL
Petalichthys capensis Regan, 1904

Photo by SFSA
 
Petalichthys capensis
[Cape needlefish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 23 cm OT
Platybelone argalus annobonensis Collette & Parin, 1970

Photo by FAO
 
Platybelone argalus annobonensis
[Annobon keel tail needlefish]

Photo by FAO

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 50 cm TL
Platybelone argalus argalus (Lesueur, 1821)

Photo by FAO
 
Platybelone argalus argalus
[Keeltail needlefish]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 45 cm TL

 
Platybelone argalus platura
[]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 45 cm NG
Platybelone argalus platyura (Bennett, 1832)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Platybelone argalus platyura
[Keeled needlefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 40 cm SL
Platybelone argalus pterura (Osburn & Nichols, 1916)

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Platybelone argalus pterura
[Baja California keeltail needlefish]

Photo by Brown,J./EMD, St Helena Government

Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 32 cm OT
Platybelone argalus trachura (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Brown,J./EMD, St Helena Government
 
Platybelone argalus trachura
[]

Photo by Freitas, R.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 24 cm OT
Platybelone lovii (Günther, 1866)

Photo by Freitas, R.
 
Platybelone lovii
[]

Photo by Porcelli, D.

South America
Max. Length 22.8 cm SL
Potamorrhaphis eigenmanni Miranda Ribeiro, 1915

Photo by Porcelli, D.
 
Potamorrhaphis eigenmanni
[]

Photo by Irtz, P.

South America
Max. Length 29.1 cm TL
Potamorrhaphis guianensis (Jardine, 1843)

Photo by Irtz, P.
 
Potamorrhaphis guianensis
[]
No picture found
South America
Max. Length 17.5 cm OT

 
Potamorrhaphis labiatus
[]
No picture found
South America
Max. Length 24.6 cm SL

 
Potamorrhaphis petersi
[]

Photo by Yuri Hooker/WWF-OPP

South America
Max. Length 29.8 cm SL
Pseudotylosurus angusticeps (Günther, 1866)

Photo by Yuri Hooker/WWF-OPP
 
Pseudotylosurus angusticeps
[]
No picture found
South America
Max. Length 40.7 cm SL

 
Pseudotylosurus microps
[]

Photo by The Fish Database of Taiwan

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Strongylura anastomella (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by The Fish Database of Taiwan
 
Strongylura anastomella
[]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 91 cm TL
Strongylura exilis (Girard, 1854)

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Strongylura exilis
[Californian needlefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

South America
Max. Length 51.7 cm SL
Strongylura fluviatilis (Regan, 1903)

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Strongylura fluviatilis
[]

Photo by Granados-Dieseldorff, P. & M. Christensen

Central America
Max. Length 49.8 cm SL
Strongylura hubbsi Collette, 1974

Photo by Granados-Dieseldorff, P. & M. Christensen
 
Strongylura hubbsi
[Maya needlefish]

Photo by Honeycutt, K.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm FL
Strongylura incisa (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Honeycutt, K.
 
Strongylura incisa
[Reef needlefish]
No picture found
Asia and Oceania
Max. Length 85 cm SL

 
Strongylura krefftii
[Long tom]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Strongylura leiura (Bleeker, 1850)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Strongylura leiura
[Banded needlefish]

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 111 cm TL
Strongylura marina (Walbaum, 1792)

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory
 
Strongylura marina
[Atlantic needlefish]

Photo by JJPhoto

Western Central Atlantic

Strongylura notata forsythia Breder, 1932

Photo by JJPhoto
 
Strongylura notata forsythia
[]

Photo by American Littoral Society - Southeast Chapter

Western Central Atlantic
Max. Length 61 cm TL
Strongylura notata notata (Poey, 1860)

Photo by American Littoral Society - Southeast Chapter
 
Strongylura notata notata
[Redfin needlefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 38 cm SL
Strongylura scapularis (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882)

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Strongylura scapularis
[Shoulderspot needlefish]

Photo by Mamonekene, V.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 150 cm SL
Strongylura senegalensis (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Mamonekene, V.
 
Strongylura senegalensis
[Senegal needlefish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 40 cm SL
Strongylura strongylura (van Hasselt, 1823)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Strongylura strongylura
[Spottail needlefish]

Photo by Sazima, I.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 61 cm TL
Strongylura timucu (Walbaum, 1792)

Photo by Sazima, I.
 
Strongylura timucu
[Timucu]

Photo by Winterbottom, R.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 26.3 cm OT
Strongylura urvillii (Valenciennes, 1846)

Photo by Winterbottom, R.
 
Strongylura urvillii
[Urville's longtom]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 153 cm TL
Tylosurus acus acus (Lacepède, 1803)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Tylosurus acus acus
[Agujon needlefish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 140 cm SL
Tylosurus acus imperialis (Rafinesque, 1810)

Photo by FAO
 
Tylosurus acus imperialis
[]

Photo by Shao, K.T.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Tylosurus acus melanotus (Bleeker, 1850)

Photo by Shao, K.T.
 
Tylosurus acus melanotus
[Keel-jawed needle fish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 140 cm TL
Tylosurus acus rafale Collette & Parin, 1970

Photo by FAO
 
Tylosurus acus rafale
[Atlantic agujon needlefish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 120 cm TL
Tylosurus choram (Rüppell, 1837)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Tylosurus choram
[Red Sea houndfish]

Photo by Baur, J.-C.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 150 cm TL
Tylosurus crocodilus (Péron & Lesueur, 1821)

Photo by Baur, J.-C.
 
Tylosurus crocodilus
[Hound needlefish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 134 cm TL
Tylosurus fodiator Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Tylosurus fodiator
[Mexican needlefish]

Photo by Good, P.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 75 cm OT
Tylosurus gavialoides (Castelnau, 1873)

Photo by Good, P.
 
Tylosurus gavialoides
[Stout longtom]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 82.5 cm SL
Tylosurus pacificus (Steindachner, 1876)

Photo by FAO
 
Tylosurus pacificus
[Pacific agujon needlefish]

Photo by FAO

Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 58.3 cm SL
Tylosurus punctulatus (Günther, 1872)

Photo by FAO
 
Tylosurus punctulatus
[Spotted long-tom]

Photo by Ratmuangkhwang, S.

Asia
Max. Length 40 cm TL
Xenentodon cancila (Hamilton, 1822)

Photo by Ratmuangkhwang, S.
 
Xenentodon cancila
[Freshwater garfish]

Photo by Grimm, M.

Asia
Max. Length 30 cm SL
Xenentodon canciloides (Bleeker, 1854)

Photo by Grimm, M.
 
Xenentodon canciloides
[]
47 Species of Family Belonidae
(Needlefishes)
Sort by: Species Length Year
1 of 1 Jump to:
Year Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm)
1846 Ablennes hians Flat needlefish Worldwide distribution in 140 TL
1761 Belone belone Garfish Eastern Atlantic and Medi 103.5 TL
1866 Belone euxini Endemic to Black Sea, Sea
1970 Belone svetovidovi Eastern Atlantic
1966 Belonion apodion South America 5 SL
1966 Belonion dibranchodon South America 4.8 SL
1904 Petalichthys capensis Cape needlefish Southeast Atlantic and We 35 SL
1970 Platybelone argalus annobonensis Annobon keel tail needlefish Eastern Atlantic 23 OT
1821 Platybelone argalus argalus Keeltail needlefish Western Atlantic 50 TL
1837 Platybelone argalus platura Western Indian Ocean 45 TL
1832 Platybelone argalus platyura Keeled needlefish Indo-Pacific 45 NG
1916 Platybelone argalus pterura Baja California keeltail needlefish Eastern Pacific 40 SL
1846 Platybelone argalus trachura Southeast Atlantic 32 OT
1866 Platybelone lovii Eastern Atlantic 24 OT
1915 Potamorrhaphis eigenmanni South America 22.8 SL
1843 Potamorrhaphis guianensis South America 29.1 TL
2012 Potamorrhaphis labiatus South America 17.5 OT
1974 Potamorrhaphis petersi South America 24.6 SL
1866 Pseudotylosurus angusticeps South America 29.8 SL
1866 Pseudotylosurus microps South America 40.7 SL
1846 Strongylura anastomella Northwest Pacific 100 TL
1854 Strongylura exilis Californian needlefish Eastern Pacific 91 TL
1903 Strongylura fluviatilis South America 51.7 SL
1974 Strongylura hubbsi Maya needlefish Central America 49.8 SL
1846 Strongylura incisa Reef needlefish Indo-Pacific 100 FL
1866 Strongylura krefftii Long tom Asia and Oceania 85 SL
1850 Strongylura leiura Banded needlefish Indo-West Pacific 100 TL
1792 Strongylura marina Atlantic needlefish Western Atlantic 111 TL
1932 Strongylura notata forsythia Western Central Atlantic
1860 Strongylura notata notata Redfin needlefish Western Central Atlantic 61 TL
1882 Strongylura scapularis Shoulderspot needlefish Eastern Pacific 38 SL
1846 Strongylura senegalensis Senegal needlefish Eastern Atlantic 150 SL
1823 Strongylura strongylura Spottail needlefish Indo-West Pacific 40 SL
1792 Strongylura timucu Timucu Western Atlantic 61 TL
1846 Strongylura urvillii Urville's longtom Western Pacific 26.3 OT
1803 Tylosurus acus acus Agujon needlefish Western Atlantic 153 TL
1810 Tylosurus acus imperialis Eastern Atlantic 140 SL
1850 Tylosurus acus melanotus Keel-jawed needle fish Indo-Pacific 100 TL
1970 Tylosurus acus rafale Atlantic agujon needlefish Eastern Atlantic 140 TL
1837 Tylosurus choram Red Sea houndfish Western Indian Ocean 120 TL
1821 Tylosurus crocodilus Hound needlefish Indo-West Pacific 150 TL
1882 Tylosurus fodiator Mexican needlefish Eastern Central Pacific 134 TL
1873 Tylosurus gavialoides Stout longtom Indo-West Pacific 75 OT
1876 Tylosurus pacificus Pacific agujon needlefish Eastern Pacific 82.5 SL
1872 Tylosurus punctulatus Spotted long-tom Western Central Pacific 58.3 SL
1822 Xenentodon cancila Freshwater garfish Asia 40 TL
1854 Xenentodon canciloides Asia 30 SL



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cfm script by eagbayani, 30.11.04, ,  php script by cmilitante, 05/11/2010 ,  last modified by cmilitante, 14/03/2013