Menidia peninsulae

Sm all to medium-sized (up to 2 m) with elongate bodies. Head with both upper and lower jaws extended into long beaks filled with sharp teeth; nostrils in a pit anterior to eyes. No spines in fins; dorsal and anal fins posterior in position; pelvic fins located in abdominal position with 6 soft rays; pectoral fins short. Lateral line running down from pectoral-fin origin and then along ventral margin of body. Scales sm all, cycloid (smooth), easily detached. Colour: these fishes live at the surface and are protec- tively coloured for this mode of life by being green or blue on the back and silvery white on the lower sides and belly. A dusky or dark blue stripe usu ally present along sides in life; tip of lower jaw frequently red or orange. elongate tooth-studded jaws

Body shape: elongated.

Western Atlantic: northeastern Florida and northern Gulf of Mexico (except Louisiana and northeastern Texas) to southern Florida in USA and northern Veracruz in Mexico.

Most species are marine, but some occur in fresh waters. Carnivorous, feed- ing largely on sm all fishes which they catch sideways in their beaks and then turn and sw allow head first. Needlefishes tend to leap and skitter at the surface and some people have been severely injured when acci- dent ally struck by them, particularly at night when needlefishes are attracted to lights. Needlefishes are caught by casting or trolling surface or near-surface lures and with seines. The flesh is excellent and needlefishes are popular foodfishes in some parts of the world although some people have misgivings about eating them due to the green colour of their bones. Similar families occurring in the area Hemiramphidae: ei ther the lower jaw prolonged or nei ther (Chriodorus) of the jaws prolonged. Sphyraenidae: jaws pointed, but not prolonged into a beak; 2 dorsal fins, the first spiny; pelvic fins in thoracic position. ei ther lower jaw prolonged jaws pointed but or nei ther prolonged not prolonged Hemiramphidae Sphyraenidae Key to the species of Belonidae occurring in the area 1a. Body strongly later ally compressed and marked with a series of vertical bars (Fig. 1); anal-fin rays 24 to 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ablennes hians 1b. Body rounded or squarish in cross-section; no vertical bars present; anal-fin rays 13 to 24 . . . . .(cid:1) 2 body marked with series of vertical bars dorsal fin lateral keel anal fin Fig. 1 Ablennes hians Fig. 2 cross-section of caudal peduncle 2a. Caudal peduncle strongly depressed (flattened dorsoventr ally) and with well-developed lateral keels, least depth of caudal peduncle about half the width (Fig. 2); gill rakers present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Platybelone argalus argalus 2b. Caudal peduncle not strongly depressed, a sm all lateral keel on caudal peduncle or no keel at all, caudal peduncle deeper than wide; gill rakers absent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(cid:1) 3 3a. Dorsal-fin rays 12 to 17; no keels on caudal peduncle; caudal fin emarginate, lower lobe keel not much longer than upper; no exp anded black posterior dorsal-fin lobe at any size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Strongylura) (cid:1) 4 3b. Dorsal-fin rays 21 to 26; a weak, darkly pig- mented lateral keel on each side of caudal lower lobe longer peduncle (Fig. 3); lower lobe of caudal fin than upper lobe much longer than upper lobe; juveniles with an exp anded black lobe in the posterior part Fig. 3 of the dorsal fin . . . . . . . . . . .(Tylosurus) (cid:1) 6 4a. Maxilla completely c overed by preorbital bone; anal-fin rays 12 to 15; predorsal scales 76 to 117; vertebrae 53 to 61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Strongylura notata 4b. Maxilla exposed posteriorly; anal-fin rays 16 to 20; predorsal scales 120 to 304; vertebrae 68 to 77. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(cid:1) 5 5a. Predorsal scales 120 to 185; 2 gonads in both sexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Strongylura timucu 5b. Predorsal scales 213 to 304; only right gonad present . . . . . . . . . . . . Strongylura marina 6a. Dorsal- and anal-fin lobes relatively low comp ared to body length (10.1 to 13.3 and 9.7 to 11.7 times in body length, respectively); pectoral and pelvic fins relatively short (8.0 to 12.4 and 10.0 to 14.1 times in body length, respectively); upper and lower jaw teeth straight at all sizes; left gonad absent or greatly reduced in length . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tylosurus acus acus 6b. Dorsal- and anal-fin lobes relatively high comp ared to body length (5.4 to 10.6 and 5.5 to 8.0 times in body length, respectively); pectoral and pelvic fins relatively long (6.6 to 8.3 and 7.3 to 10.6 times in body length, respectively); upper and lower jaw teeth point dis- tinctly anterior in juveniles; left gonad distinct although shorter than right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tylosurus crocodilus crocodilus List of spec(cid:1)ies occurring in the area T(cid:1)he symbol is given when species accounts are included. (cid:1) Ablennes hians (Valenciennes, 1846). (cid:1) Platybelone argalus argalus (Lesueur, 1821). (cid:1) Strongylura marina (Walbaum, 1792). (cid:1) Strongylura notata (Poey, 1860). (cid:1) Strongylura timucu (Walbaum, 1792). (cid:1) Tylosurus acus acus (Lacepède, 1803). Tylosurus crocodilus crocodilus (Péron and Lesueur, 1821).

Occurs in tidal creeks and marshes, in brackish or full sea waters. Never found in inland waters.

Max length: 15.0 cm TL.

IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018-12-06. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).