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 Edit this 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]
  • 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 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]

 
P. argalus range map, with each major subspecies highlighted

Subspecies edit

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 edit

  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. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c d "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. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Platybelone argalus" in FishBase. April 2019 version.

External links edit