Family : Hemiramphidae (Halfbeaks) , subfamily: Zenarchopterinae
Order : Beloniformes  (needle fishes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Feathered river-garfish
Fish Name : Zenarchopterus dispar
Max size : 19.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 7050)
Environment : reef-associated; oceanodromous; pH range: 7 - 8; dH range: 10
Climate : tropical; 24 - 28°C
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Kenya, Mozambique, Seychelles, Madagascar, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Samoa. Reported from Sri Lanka (Ref. 6028) and Vanuatu (Ref. 13300). Also found in India, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore (Ref. 43081).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 12-13; Vertebrae: 42-43. Upper jaw distinctly wider than long. Snout uniform brown without any dark band on the midline. Pectoral fin shorter than head length. Lower jaw much shorter than head. Sixth and seventh anal rays of adult males greatly thickened and elongated, both rays reaching beyond the caudal base. Either dorsal ray 4 or 5 or both elongated and thickened.
Biology : Inhabit shallow water around mangrove in sheltered bays (Ref. 26367). Early juveniles are neustonic and float on the surface of estuarine mangroves (Ref. 43081)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Collette, Bruce B.
Main Ref : Collette, B.B.. 1986. (Ref. 6798)

India country information
Common Names : Viviparous half beak, കോലാന്, Kolaan
Status : native
Salinity : freshwater, brackish, marine
Uses : no uses