Family : Hemiramphidae (Halfbeaks) , subfamily: Hemiramphinae
Order : Beloniformes  (needle fishes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Tropical halfbeak
Fish Name : Hyporhamphus affinis
Max size : 38.0 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 54980)
Environment : reef-associated
Climate : tropical
Global Importance : fisheries:
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa through the Indian Ocean islands to western Australia, New Guinea, Philippines, and islands of Oceania. Not found in Hawaiian islands, and apparently absent from Indo-Malayan Archipelago. Has been mentioned in the literature under other names, particularly Hyporhamphus erythrorinchus and Hyporhamphus dussumieri (Ref. 10943).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-17; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 15-19; Vertebrae: 54-59. Body deep blue above, silvery stripe on side, silvery white below; caudal fin bluish, other fins unpigmented; tip and distal half of underside of lower jaw bright carmine red (Ref. 4164).
Biology : Found chiefly around coral reefs (Ref. 58534) and islands but extends a little further from shore than Hyporhamphus (R.) dussumieri which has a similar range (Ref. 10943). Found in schools (Ref. 9710). Feeds on zooplankton and floating matter. Eggs covered with adhesive filaments to assist in attaching to floating and benthic objects (Ref. 43448)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Collette, Bruce B.
Main Ref : Collette, B.B. and J. Su. 1986. (Ref. 10943)

India country information
Common Names : [ No common name ]
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses