颌针鱼目BELONIFORMES.pdf

click for previous page 1104 Bony Fishes Order BELONIFORMES BELONIDAE Needlefishes by B.B. Collette, National Marine Fisheries, Service, National Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C., USA iagnostic characters: Small to medium-sized (up to 2 m) with elongate bodies. Head with both upper Dand lower jaws extended into long beaks filled with sharp teeth; nostrils in a pit anterior to eyes. No spines in fins; dorsal and anal fins posterior in position; pelvic fins located in abdominal position with 6 soft rays; pectoral fins short. Lateral line running down from pectoral-fin origin and then along ventral margin of body. Scales small, cycloid (smooth), easily detached. Colour:these fishes live at the surface and are protec- tively coloured for this mode of life by being green or blue on the back and silvery white on the lower sides and belly.A dusky or dark blue stripe usually present along sides in life;tip of lower jaw frequently red or orange. elongate tooth-studded jaws Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Most species are marine, but some occur in fresh waters. Carnivorous, feed- ing largely on small fishes which they catch sideways in their beaks and then turn and swallow head first. Needlefishes tend to leap and skitter at the surface and some people have been severely injured when acci- dentally struck by them, particularly at night when needlefishes are attracted to lights.Needlefishes are caught by casting or trolling surface or near-surface lures and with seines. The flesh is excellent and needlefish