Strongylura timucu
Timucu
NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Beloniformes
Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Strongylura
Strongylura timucu (Timucu)
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.)
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Characters
Elongate and oval in cross section, with lower jaw slightly longer than upper jaw, and a compressed caudal peduncle lacking lateral keels. Jaw teeth are in bands and are sharply pointed, with inner teeth caninelike and larger than outer teeth. Gill rakers are absent. Snout length is 34.6% to 38.7%, head depth is 7% to 7.6%, head width is 5.3% to 5.9%, orbit diameter is 4.5% to 4.8%, interorbital width is 4.4% to 4.8%, preopercular width is 6.8% to 7.6%, height of anterior dorsal fin lobe is 10.3% to 11.9%, height of anterior anal fin lobe is 11.7% to 13.6%, pectoral fin length is 10.8% to 12.9%, and pelvic fin length is 5.8% to 6.7% of body length. Pectoral fin is not falcate and has 10 to 12 rays. Dorsal fin has strongly concave margin and 14 to 17 rays. Anal fin is similar to dorsal fin and has 16 to 20 rays. Caudal fin is emarginate but not deeply forked, and lower lobe is slightly longer than upper lobe. Scales are relatively large, and predorsal scales number 120 to 185. Vertebrae number 68 to 75. Gonads are paired.
Color is bluish green dorsally and silvery ventrally, with black pigment behind eye usually extending to ventral margin of orbit, and preorbital bone densely pigmented.
Distribution
Western Atlantic Ocean from the east coast of Florida to Rio de Janeiro, including the northeastern Gulf of Mexico westward to Pensacola, Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea.
Habitat Associations
Coastal water, including estuaries and lagoons.
Biology
Food consists of small pelagic fishes.
Maximum known size is 418 mm SL.
Adults found on reef flats, in lagoons, or in freshwater (Ref. 9710). Juveniles found among floating algae (Ref. 9710). Feeds mainly on small fishes (Ref. 3129). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Eggs may be found attached to objects in the water by tendrils on the egg's surface (Ref. 205). During the day preys on small fishes and shrimps close to water surface, approaching potential prey stealthily within lunging range, but when disturbed, may leap and skitter at the surface. At night, young individuals rest close to the surface, aligned with semi-submersed leaves of marsh grass in mangroves, and when disturbed, usually sinks slowly and hides within vegetation. The resemblance to grass blades and its night-time behavior are believed to be defensive adaptations against nocturnal visually oriented predators like night herons (Ref. 40403).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018-08-25. 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 1978b
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Cervigon 1991
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.
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.
Randall, J.E. (1996) Caribbean reef fishes. Third Edition - revised and enlarged. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Hong Kong. 3nd ed. 368 p.
Feitoza, B.M., L.A. Rocha, O.J. Luiz-Júnior, S.R. Floeter and J.L. Gasparini (2003) Reef fishes of St. Paul's Rocks: new records and notes on biology and zoogeography. aqua, J. Ichthyol. Aquat. Biol. 7(2):61-82.
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