Family : Hemiramphidae (Halfbeaks) , subfamily: Hemiramphinae
Order : Beloniformes  (needle fishes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Common halfbeak
Fish Name : Hyporhamphus unifasciatus
Max size : 30.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 5217)
Environment : reef-associated; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 5 m
Climate : subtropical; 45°N - 40°S
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial; bait: usually
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Western Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951) to Maine (USA), Bermuda and northern Gulf of Mexico to Argentina; throughout the Caribbean (Ref. 9710). Uruguay (Ref. 26938). Eastern Pacific: San Diego, California, USA to Peru, including the Galapagos Islands (Ref. 2850).
Diagnosis : Body elongate; lower jaw very prolonged; upper jaw short, triangular, and scaly; lower branch of first gill arch with 29 to 38 gill rakers; fins lacking spines; pectoral fins not very long; caudal fin emarginate or slightly forked; anal fin with 15 to 18 rays; back greenish, with 3 narrow, dark, bars; flanks and belly silvery white; fleshy border of lower jaw red; caudal fin light colored with dark tips (Ref. 55763).
Biology : An inshore, surface-dwelling species forming sizeable schools, frequently entering estuaries (Ref. 3723). Uncommon over reefs (Ref. 9710). Omnivorous, feeds on algae and other small animals (Ref. 3723). Caught with 'mandinga' nets in Venezuela, often using lights (Ref. 3723). Edible but not really appreciated (Ref. 3723)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : reports of ciguatera poisoning , Dammann, A.E.. 1969
Coordinator : Collette, Bruce B.
Main Ref : Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray. 1986. (Ref. 7251)

India country information
Common Names : ഓള, ഊള, Oola
Status : questionable
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses