WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Flat Needlefish

Ablennes hians

Also known as: Barred Longtom, Barred Needlefish, Eel Pike, Flat Billfish, Flat-sided Needlefish, Full Beak, Gaping Needlefish, Garfish, Giant Needlefish, Grassfish, Houndfish, Longtoms, Stickfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2015
Adult
@JarJar · Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica · October 20151 / 6
01

Overview

Found singly or in large schools, usually close to the surface, of estuaries, coastal rivers and oceanic waters close to islands.

Needlefish hunt smaller fish just below the surface of the sea, but in turn the are also hunted by larger fish like Tuna and can sometimes be seen leaping into the air and seeming to skip along on their tails on the surface of the water to escape predators.
Potentially dangerous at night when attracted to light as they leap out of the water and have been known to cause fatalities with their beaks!

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How to identify

COLOURS
Fins & Tail
black tail

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Circumtropical
  • Country only · 6
LIVES IN

Found singly or in large schools, usually close to the surface, of estuaries, coastal rivers and oceanic waters close to islands.

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Adult photos 6

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderBeloniformes
    5. familyBelonidae
    6. genusAblennes
    7. speciesAblennes hians (Valenciennes, 1846)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Needlefishes (Belonidae)