HYPORHAMPHUS BALINENSIS - (BLEEKER, 1858)
Picture courtesy of: Jack Berthomier (Flicker)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Beloniformes (Order) > Hemiramphidae (Family) > Hyporhamphus (Genus)
Bali halfbeak, Balinese garfish, Balinese halfbeak, 巴利下鱵鱼,
Synonyme
Hemiramphus balinensis (Bleeker, 1858)
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Description
Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-17; Anal soft rays: 15-19; Preorbital bone length: 1.0–1.2 in orbit diameter; Lower jaw long, its length: 0.7–0.9 in head length.(HL). Caudal fin distinctly forked. Max. length: 16.5 cm SL. Depth range: 0 - 3 m.
Color
Greenish above, silvery white below, silvery stripe on side, fleshy tip of beak red.
Etymology
Hyporhamphus: from Greek prefix, hypo- = below, beneath, under + from Greek, rhamphus = beak. Referring to lower jaw prolonged into a slender beak.
balinensis: from the type locality, Bali, Indonesia.
Original description: Hemiramphus balinensis Bleeker, 1858 - Type locality: Boleling, northern Bali, Bali Sea, Indonesia, eastern Indian Ocean.
Distribution
Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Seychelles and Madagascar east to Tuamotu Archipelago, north to Philippines, south to northwestern Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Reef-associated occurring in superficial waters. Mostly taken with seines and gillnets.
Similar species
Hyporhamphus affinis (Günther, 1866) - Reported from New Caledonia. Tip and distal half of underside of lower jaw bright carmine red.
Hyporhamphus dussumieri (Valenciennes, 1847) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: Mozambique Channel, Madagascar, Seychelles and Maldives east to Tuamotu Archipelago, north to Ryukyu Islands (Japan), south to northern Australia.