Parexocoetus hillianus

Body elongate, el- liptic in cross-section, somewhat com- pressed. Depth 4.3 to 6.0 in st andard length. Head length 3.9 to 4.9 in st andard length. Eye 2.9 to 3.5 in head length. Snout blunt, shorter than eye. Jaws subequal, with sm all, conical teeth. Gill rakers on first arch 26 to 33. Dorsal fin very high (2.4 to 3.1 in st andard length), with 9 to 14 soft rays. Anal fin with 10 to 14 soft rays, originating be fore second ray of dorsal fin. Pectoral fins 1.7 to 2.1 in st andard juvenile length, extending to or beyond middle of dor- sal-fin base with 11 to 13 soft rays, first ray un- branched. Pelvic fins 4.5 to 5.5 in st andard length, inserted ne arer posterior margin of opercle than caudal-fin base, b arely or not reaching anal-fin origin. Juveniles similar to adults in general appearance, with paired, short chin barbels at less than 105 mm st andard length (easily lost). Scales in transverse row 4.5 to 5.5. Predorsal scales 16 to 24. Pectoral branch of lateral line present. Vertebrae 36 to 40. Colour: body dark (iri- descent bluish green in life) above, pale below. Dorsal fin with a large black blotch dist ally. All o ther fins trans- p arent. In juveniles dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins bearing black pigment.

Body shape: elongated.

From 40(cid:1) N to nor thern Brazil. Very common in the Caribbean Sea and Lesser Antilles area, less common in the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Stream and the western Sargasso Sea. Also occurs in the tropical eastern Atlantic. Prognichthys glaphyrae Parin, 1999 Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Prognichthys gibbifrons (Valenciennes, 1846). FAO names: En - Oceanic bluntnose flyingfish. Diagnostic characters: Body elongate, nearly rectangular in cross-section, almost flat ventr ally. Depth 5.1 to 6.2 in st andard length. Head length 3.6 to 4.0 in st andard length. Eye 2.8 to 3.2 in head length and 1.2 to 1.5 in postobital part of head. Lower jaw a little shorter than the upper and included beneath upper jaw when mouth closed. Jaw teeth sm all, mostly conical. No palatine teeth. Gill rakers on first arch 21 to 28. Dorsal fin low, juvenile with 11 to 13 soft rays. Anal fin with 8 to 11, usu ally 10 soft rays, originating under third to fifth dorsal fin ray. Pectoral fins 1.4 to 1.5 in st andard length, with 16 to 19 soft rays, first 2 rays un- branched. Pelvic fins 2.8 to 3.3 in st andard length, inserted ne arer to posterior margin of opercle than cau- dal-fin base. Juveniles not barbelled, characteristic ally robust and blunt-snouted at less than 60 mm st andard length, with pectoral and pelvic fins of comparable length. Scales in transverse row 7 or 8. Predorsal scales 20 to 25. Vertebrae 42 to 44. Colour: body dark above, pale below (dark colour iridescent blue, pale colour silvery in life). Dorsal and caudal fins greyish; anal fin transp arent; pectoral fins greyish in central part but their pointed tips for about 1/4 of fin length, posterior margin and lower portion transp arent; pelvic fins mostly greyish, espe- ci ally in the middle (probably both pectoral and pelvic fins greenish in life). Juveniles less than 30 mm st andard length with body and paired fins heavily pigmented; in juveniles 30 to 130 mm st andard length pectoral fins very contrastingly pigmented: mostly pale with a black areas at the base and posteriorly. Size: Maximum to 20 cm st andard length (about 25 cm total length). Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Oceanic spe- cies. Feeds on zooplankton. Eggs pelagic. Of no importance in fisheries. Distri bution: Distri butional range limited to the Atlantic Ocean. In the western Atlantic recorded between 30 to 32(cid:1) N and 20(cid:1) S but not known from coastal waters of America or from the Carib- bean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, or the Gulf Stream. Prognichthys occidentalis Parin, 1999 Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Prognichthys gibbifrons (Valenciennes, 1846). FAO names: En - Western bluntnose flyingfish. Diagnostic characters: Body elongate, nearly rectangular in cross-section, almost flat ventr ally. Depth 5.5 to 6.7 in st andard length. Head length 3.7 to 7.1 in st andard length. Eye 3.0 to 3.6 in head length and 1.4 to 1.7 in postorbital part of head. Lower jaw a little shorter than the upper and included be- neath upper jaw when mouth closed. Jaw teeth sm all, mostly conical. No palatine teeth. Gill rakers on first arch 20 to 26. Dorsal fin low, juvenile with 10 to 13 soft rays. Anal fin with 8 to 10, usu ally 9 soft rays, originating under fourth to fifth dorsal-fin ray. Pectoral fins 1.4 to 1.6 in st andard length, with 15 to 19 soft rays, 2 upper rays unbranched. Pelvic fins 2.8 to 3.4 in st andard length, inserted ne arer to posterior margin of opercle than caudal-fin base. Juveniles not barbelled, characteristic ally robust and blunt-snouted, at less than 60 mm with pectoral and pelvic fins of comparable length. Vertebrae 42 to 44. Predorsal scales 20 to 25. Scales in transverse row 6.5 to 8. Colour: body dark above, pale below. Dorsal and caudal fins greyish; anal fin transpar- ent; pectoral fins browish with pale distal tip and lowermost portion. Juveniles less than 30 mm st andard length with body and paired fins heavily pigmented; in larger juveniles pectoral fins blackish, sometimes with lighter crossb and in central part. Size: Maximum to 18 cm st andard length (about 23 cm total length). Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Neritic species avoiding open sea. Feeds on zooplankton. Of no importance to fisheries. Distri bution: Distri buted along the Ameri can coasts from 40(cid:1) N to 40(cid:1) S including the Carib- bean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and near the Baha- mas. Nor thernmost and sou thernmost records resulted from passive transport of juveniles with the Gulf Stream and the Brazil Current. HEMIRAMPHIDAE Halfbeaks by B. B. Collette, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Musuem of Natural History, Washington D. C., USA Diagnostic characters: Elongate fishes with a prolonged lower jaw (except in Chriodorus a therinoides and Oxyporhamphus micropterus) and a short triangular upper jaw. Nostrils in a pit anterior to eyes. No spines in fins; dorsal and anal fins posterior in position; pectoral fins usu ally short; pelvic fins in abdominal po- sition, with 6 soft rays. Scales moderately large, cycloid (smooth), easily detached. Lateral line running down from pectoral-fin origin and then backward along ventral margin of body. Colour: these fishes live at the sur- face and are protectively coloured for this mode of life being green or blue on the back and silvery white on the sides and ventr ally; tip of the lower jaw bright red or orange in life in most species. nostrils in open pit short triangular upper jaw lower jaw typic ally prolonged lateral line pelvic fin Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Most species are marine, but some inhabit fresh water; omnivorous, feeding on floating sea grasses, crustaceans, and sm all fishes. They are prone to leap and skitter at the surface and 1 offshore species, Euleptorhamphus velox can leap out of the water and glide like a flyingfish. The flesh is ex- cellent and halfbeaks are utilized as food in many parts of the world. In the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, they are more important as baitfish for billfishes, dolphins, kingfish, wahoo, and king mackerel than as food fish. They are caught with seines or dipnetted under lights at night. Similar families occurring in the area Belonidae (needlefishes): both upper and lower jaws elongate and armed with needle-sharp teeth. Exocoetidae (flyingfishes): lack the prolonged lower jaw characteristic of most halfbeaks; pectoral fins or both pectoral and pelvic fins enlarged and used for aerial gliding. lack both jaws prolonged elongate lower jaw Belonidae Exocoetidae Key to the species of Hemiramphidae occurring in the area 1a. Lower jaw not noticeably elongate (Fig. 1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(cid:1) 2 1b. Lower jaw distinctly elongate (Fig. 2); total gill rakers on first arch 25 to 46; pectoral-fin soft rays usu ally 7 to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(cid:1) 3 lower jaw elongate lower jaw not elongate Fig. 1 lateral view of head Fig. 2 lateral view of head 2a. Total gill rakers on first arch 19 to 23; pectoral fins short; pectoral-fin soft rays usu ally 13 or 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chriodorus a therinoides 2b. Total gill rakers on first arch 30 to 35; pectoral fins long; pectoral-fin soft rays 11 to 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oxyporhamphus micropterus similis 3a. Dorsal-fin soft rays 21 to 25; anal-fin soft rays 19 to 24; pectoral fins very long; pectoral-fin soft rays usu ally 7 to 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Euleptorhamphus velox 3b. Dorsal-fin soft rays 12 to 17; anal-fin soft rays 10 to 18; pectoral fins short to moderate; pec- toral-fin soft rays 9 to 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(cid:1) 4 a) Hemiramphus b) Hyporhamphus Fig. 3 caudal fin 4a. Caudal fin deeply forked (Fig. 3a); scales absent on snout; preorbital ridge absent (Fig. 4a); anal-fin soft rays usu ally 10 to 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Hemiramphus) (cid:1) 5 4b. Caudal fin emarginate or only slightly forked (Fig. 3b); scales present on snout; preorbital ridge well developed (Fig. 4b); anal-fin soft rays usu ally 14 to 17 . . . . . . . (Hyporhamphus) (cid:1) 7 no scales no preorbital ridge preorbital ridge scales no scales scales preorbital preorbital canal lateral view dorsal view canal lateral view dorsal view a) Hemiramphus b) Hyporhamphus Fig. 4 detail of head 5a. Pectoral fins moderate, reaching beyond anterior margin of nasal pit when folded forward; anal-fin soft rays 10 to 13, usu ally 11 or 12; upper caudal-fin lobe blue in life . . Hemiramphus balao 5b. Pectoral fins short, not reaching nasal pit when folded forward; anal-fin soft rays 12 to 14, usu ally 13; upper caudal-fin lobe reddish orange in life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (cid:1) 6 6a. Gill rakers on first arch 37 to 45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hemiramphus bermudensis 6b. Gill rakers on first arch 28 to 36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hemiramphus brasiliensis 7a. Scales absent from dorsal and anal fins or only a few present on anterior parts of the fins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hyporhamphus roberti 7b. Scales c over dorsal and anal fins of adults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (cid:1) 8 8a. Total gill rakers on first arch 26 to 35, usu ally 28 to 32; on second arch 19 to 28, usu ally 25 or fewer; ratio of preorbital length to orbit diameter usu ally less than 0.70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hyporhamphus unifasciatus 8b. Total gill rakers on first arch 31 to 40, usu ally 33 to 39; on second arch 20 to 30, usu ally 25 or more; ratio of preorbital length to orbit diameter usu ally greater than 0.70 . . Hyporhamphus meeki List of spec(cid:1)ies occurring in the area T(cid:1)he symbol is given when species accounts are included. (cid:1) Chriodorus a therinoides Goode and Bean, 1882. (cid:1) Euleptorhamphus velox Poey, 1868. (cid:1) Hemiramphus balao Lesueur, 1821. (cid:1) Hemiramphus bermudensis Collette, 1962. (cid:1) Hemiramphus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758). (cid:1) Hyporhamphus meeki Ban ford and Collette, 1993. (cid:1) Hyporhamphus roberti (Valenciennes, 1847). (cid:1) Hyporhamphus unifasciatus (Ranzani, 1841). Oxyporhamphus micropterus similis Bruun, 1935.

Inhab its in- shore and neritic waters, carried out to open sea with currents. Feeds on crustacean plankton. Eaten by many predatory fishes and sea birds. Eggs demersal. Reach full size in 1 year.

Maximum to 12.5 cm st andard length (about 15.5 cm total length).

Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders; parental care: none.

IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2013-01-29. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).