Halfbeak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Halfbeak |
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| Ballyhoo (Hemiramphus brasiliensis), a marine halfbeak | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Beloniformes |
| Superfamily: | Exocoetoidea |
| Family: | Hemiramphidae T. N. Gill, 1859 |
| Genera | |
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Halfbeaks are a family of fish known for their unique jaws. Their lower jaw is much longer than their upper jaw, which is how they got their name! You might also hear them called "spipe fish." These fish live in warm waters all over the world, usually near the surface of the ocean.
Even though people don't fish for halfbeaks very often, they are super important. Many other bigger fish, like billfish, mackerel, and sharks, love to eat them. This makes halfbeaks a key part of the ocean's food web.
Contents
What are Halfbeaks?
Halfbeaks are long, sleek fish that are great at living in open water. Some can grow to be over 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) long! They have large, smooth scales that come off easily. Their fins do not have any sharp spines.
Most halfbeaks are silvery, with a darker back and a lighter belly. This helps them blend in with the water, a type of camouflage called countershading. The tip of their lower jaw is often bright red or orange.
These fish have special features that help them find and eat food at the water's surface. Their eyes and nostrils are on top of their heads. Their upper jaw can move, but their lower jaw cannot. All these things, plus their streamlined body, help halfbeaks quickly catch their meals.
Where Halfbeaks Live
Halfbeaks live in warm parts of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. They mostly stay near the surface of the sea. Some types of halfbeaks can also be found in estuaries (where rivers meet the sea) and even in rivers.
Most marine halfbeaks live near coastlines. However, some species are found far out in the western and central Pacific Ocean. One type, Hyporhamphus ihi, lives only around New Zealand. The Hemiramphus genus of halfbeaks can be found all over the world's oceans.
What Halfbeaks Eat
Marine halfbeaks are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They munch on algae, seagrasses, tiny ocean creatures called plankton, and small crustaceans. They also eat smaller fish.
For some halfbeaks, young fish eat more animals, while adults eat more plants. Some tropical species might eat animals during the day and plants at night. Others switch between eating meat in the summer and plants in the winter. Because they are eaten by so many other important fish, halfbeaks are a vital link in the ocean's food chain.
Halfbeak Behavior
Marine halfbeaks often swim together in large groups called schools. They are usually found in the open ocean near the surface. For example, the southern sea garfish (Hyporhamphus melanochir) lives in sheltered bays, coastal seas, and estuaries around southern Australia. They can be found in waters up to 20 meters (about 65 feet) deep.
These fish school near the surface at night. But during the day, they swim closer to the seafloor, especially among beds of seagrasses.
Some marine halfbeaks, like Euleptorhamphus velox and Euleptorhamphus viridis, are famous for jumping out of the water and gliding over the surface for long distances. Because of this, they are sometimes called "flying halfbeaks"!
Halfbeak Reproduction and Life Cycle
Halfbeaks lay eggs, usually in shallow coastal waters like the seagrass meadows of Florida Bay. They often lay a smaller number of fairly large eggs for their size.
For example, the eggs of Hemiramphus brasiliensis and H. balao are about 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters (0.06 to 0.1 inches) wide. They have special threads that help them stick to things. These eggs hatch when they grow to about 4.8 to 11 millimeters (0.19 to 0.43 inches) in size.
Not much is known about young halfbeaks, but some species seem to prefer living in estuaries. The southern sea garfish (Hyporhamphus melanochir) grows quickly at first. It can reach about 30 centimeters (12 inches) in length in its first three years. After that, its growth slows down. This species can live for about 9 years, growing up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) long and weighing about 0.35 kilograms (0.77 pounds).
Halfbeaks and Humans
Halfbeaks are not a main target for large commercial fishing. However, smaller fisheries do exist in some places. For example, in South Australia, people fish for the southern sea garfish (Hyporhamphus melanochir) and the eastern sea garfish (Hyporhamphus australis).
Halfbeaks are caught using different methods, including nets and dip-netting at night under lights. They are eaten fresh, dried, smoked, or salted, and many people think they taste good. Even where halfbeaks are fished, they are usually less important than other types of fish.
In some areas, halfbeaks are caught to be used as bait fish for sport fishermen. A study in Florida found that a fishery catching Hemiramphus brasiliensis and Hemiramphus balao for bait is doing well. The annual catch is worth around $500,000.
Images for kids
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Oxyporhamphus micropterus has been considered either a halfbeak or a flyingfish.
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A preserved halfbeak specimen.
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A marine halfbeak, Hemiramphus balao.
See also
In Spanish: Mediopicos para niños
