Spottail needlefish (Strongylura strongylura)

Scientific name: Strongylura strongylura van Hasselt, 1823

Spottail needlefish (Strongylura strongylura)

The Spottail needlefish (Strongylura strongylura) is a brackish-water fish of the family Belonidae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 18; Vertebrae: 59 - 65. Round in cross section. Dorsal fin rays 12-15; anal fin rays 15-18. Caudal peduncle without lateral keels. Caudal fin rounded or truncate. Predorsal scales few and relatively large, 100-130. Caudal fin light with a prominent round black spot near its base. Dorsal fin lobe and distal margin of caudal fin yellow in live adults, anterior margin of anal fin orange.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Strongylura strongylura
Family
Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Order
Beloniformes (Needle fishes)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
40.0
Common length
22.0
Depth range
10–13 m (33–43 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; depth range 10 - 13 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Persian Gulf eastward along the coasts of Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, then extending to southern China, the Philippines, and northern Australia. A record from Zanzibar (Tanzania) needs confirmation.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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