Platybelone argalus
Keeltail Needlefish
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Beloniformes
Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Platybelone
Platybelone argalus (Keeltail Needlefish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Elongate and pentagonal in cross section, lower jaw extended considerably beyond upper jaw, depressed caudal peduncle, well-developed caudal keels. Lower jaw about 20% longer than upper jaw. Jaw teeth small and needlelike, vomerine teeth absent. Gill rakers present. Snout length 30.8% to 38.5%, head depth 4.4% to 5.7%, head width 3.9% to 5.4%, orbit diameter 3.4% to 4.1%, interorbital width 2.4% to 3.7%, preopercular width 3.9% to 4.1%, height of anterior dorsal fin lobe 6.3% to 7%, height of anterior anal fin lobe 7.8% to 9.3%, pectoral fin length 7.1% to 8.4%, pelvic fin length 5.9% to 6%. Pectoral fin has 10 to 13 rays. Dorsal fin has strongly concave margin and 12 to 15 rays. Anal fin similar to dorsal fin but longer and has 17 to 20 rays. Very broad keel on either side of caudal peduncle. Caudal fin forked, upper and lower lobes about equal in length. Scales relatively large, predorsal scales number 101 to 137. Vertebrae number 62 to 76. Juveniles have greatly elongated lower jaw.
Color dark greenish dorsally and silvery ventrally, with narrow horizontal stripe running from operculum to caudal peduncle. Fins transparent, caudal peduncle keel bluish black.
Distribution
North Carolina to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea
Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Oceanic waters, tropical and subtropical seas. Seldom found in shallow coastal waters
Biology
Maximum known size 500 mm SL
Occurs offshore; particularly abundant around islands (Ref. 5217); schools in sheltered parts of the reef (Ref. 48635). Feeds mainly on small fishes. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Eggs may be found attached to objects in the water by tendrils on the egg's surface (Ref. 205).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2009-01-29. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries.
References
Bohlke and Chaplin 1968
Randall 1968
Collette and Parin 1970
Collette and Parin 1986
Hoese and Moore 1977
Collette 1978b
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Cervigon 1991
Boschung 1992
Randall, J.E. (1967) Food habits of reef fishes of the West Indies. Stud. Trop. Oceanogr. Miami 5:665-847.
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Böhlke, J.E. and C.C.G. Chaplin (1993) Fishes of the Bahamas and adjacent tropical waters. 2nd edition. University of Texas Press, Austin.
Randall, J.E. (1996) Caribbean reef fishes. Third Edition - revised and enlarged. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Hong Kong. 3nd ed. 368 p.
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.
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