Preliminary Guide to the Identification of the Early Life History Stages of Belonid Fishes of the Western Central North Atlantic

摘要

Needlefishes are a relatively small family of beloniform fishes (Rosen and Parenti 1981) which differ from other members of the order in having both upper and lower jaws extended into long beaks filled other members of the order in having both upper and lower jaws extended into long beaks filled with sharp teeth (except in the neotenic South American freshwater genus Beloninon). The nostrils lie in a pit anterior to eyes. There are no spines in the fins. The dorsal, with 11-43 rays, and anal fins, with 12-39 rays, are posterior in position; the pelvic fins, with 6 soft rays, are located in an abdominal position; and the pectoral fins are short, with 5-15 rays. The lateral line runs down from the pectoral fin origin (except in Albennes and some freshwater genera) and then along the ventral margin of the body.