Keeltail needlefish
| Keeltail needlefish | |
|---|---|
| |
| Platybelone argalus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| 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] | |
| |
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.
Description
[edit]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
[edit]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]
Subspecies
[edit]Seven subspecies are recognized:[11]
- Platybelone argalus annobonensis Collette & Parin, 1970 (Annobon keeltail needlefish)
- P. a. argalus (Lesueur, 1821) (keeltail needlefish)
- P. a. lovii (Günther, 1866)
- P. a. platura (Rüppell, 1837)
- P. a. platyura (E. T. Bennett, 1832) (keeled needlefish)
- P. a. pterura (R. C. Osburn & Nichols, 1916) (Baja California keeltail needlefish)
- P. a. trachura (Valenciennes, 1846)
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
[edit]- ^ 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) - ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b REEF FISH Identification FLORIDA CARIBBEAN BAHAMAS; Humann, Paul and Ned Deloach; New World Publications Inc., Jacksonville, Fl; pp. 58-59
- ^ "Fishbase.org entry on Keeltail needlefish". Retrieved 2008-05-14.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c d "mcr.lternet.edu entry on Keeltail needlefish". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Kuiter, R.H. and T. Tonozuka 2001 Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 1. Eels- Snappers, Muraenidae - Lutjanidae. Zoonetics, Australia. 302 p.
- ^ Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen, 1966. Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Platybelone argalus". FishBase. April 2019 version.