Keeltail needlefish

The keeltail needlefish (Platybelone argalus), sometimes called the keeled needlefish, is a tropical fish of the family Belonidae. It was described by the French naturalist Charles Alexandre Lesueur in 1821.

Keeltail needlefish
Platybelone argalus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Beloniformes
Family: Belonidae
Genus: Platybelone
Species:
P. argalus
Binomial name
Platybelone argalus
(Lesueur, 1821)
Subspecies

See text

Synonyms[2]
  • Platybelone annobonensis Collette & Parin, 1970
  • Belone adreola Valenciennes, 1846
  • Belone carinata Valenciennes, 1846
  • Platybelone dorsalis Whitley, 1932
  • Strongylura longleyi Breder, 1932
  • Belone persimilis Günther, 1909
  • Belone platyura Bennett, 1832
  • Tylosurus pterurus Osburn & Nichols, 1916
  • Esox teatae Curtiss, 1938
  • Belone trachura Valenciennes, 1846
  • Platybelone trachura (Valenciennes 1846)

Description

Keeltail needlefish, like all needlefish, closely resemble North American freshwater gars (family Lepisosteidae). It is most recognized by the large, flat keel-like structures running on either side of the tail.[3] They have 12 to 15 rays on their dorsal fins, and 17 to 20 rays on their anal fins. Keeltail needlefish have gill-rakers, their caudal peduncles have lateral keels,[4] with a lateral line running ventral to it, and grow up to 50 cm long [5] The keeltail needlefish's top jaw is also smaller than the lower one.[3]

Distribution and habitat

Keeltail needlefish are found in the western Atlantic Ocean between North Carolina and Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea.[6] In the Indian Ocean, they are known off of East Africa, with their range continuing into the Pacific, reaching the Hawaiian Islands and continuing north to the Ogasawara Islands.[7] Keeltail needle fish have also been found around the Arabian Peninsula, in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf[7] They usually occur offshore and are abundant around islands.[8] Some of the most recognized subspecies are P. a. platura, most common in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf;[7]P. a. platyura, known from the rest of the Indo-Pacific; and P. a. argalus from the Atlantic.[7]

They school in sheltered parts of reefs,[9] feeding mainly on smaller fish. Keeltail needlefish are egg-laying, attaching their eggs to floating objects with specialized tendril-like structures on the egg's surface.[10]

P. argalus range map, with each major subspecies highlighted

Subspecies

Seven subspecies are recognized:[11]

Fishbase treats P.a. lovii as a valid species, Platybelone lovii,[11] while other authorities also treat P.a platyura and P.a. trachura as valid species.[2]

References
  1. Collette, B.; Matsuura, K.; , Nelson, J.; et al. (2017) [errata version of 2010 assessment]. "Platybelone argalus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T154844A115241089. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T154844A4648434.en.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Platybelone". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  3. REEF FISH Identification FLORIDA CARIBBEAN BAHAMAS; Humann, Paul and Ned Deloach; New World Publications Inc., Jacksonville, Fl; pp. 58-59
  4. "Fishbase.org entry on Keeltail needlefish". Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  5. Claro, R., 1994. Características generales de la ictiofauna. p. 55-70. In R. Claro (ed.) Ecología de los peces marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo.
  6. Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
  7. "mcr.lternet.edu entry on Keeltail needlefish". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  8. Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez, 1992. Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.
  9. Kuiter, R.H. and T. Tonozuka 2001 Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 1. Eels- Snappers, Muraenidae - Lutjanidae. Zoonetics, Australia. 302 p.
  10. Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen, 1966. Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
  11. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Platybelone argalus" in FishBase. April 2019 version.


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