Teleostei (teleosts) >
Beloniformes (Needle fishes) >
Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Etymology: Strongylura: Greek, strongylos = round + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Valenciennes.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; depth range 0 - ? m. Tropical; 14°N - 17°S
Eastern Atlantic: Senegal and Guinea south through the Gulf of Guinea to Angola (Ref. 5757). Reported from Gambia River (Ref. 28587).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 150 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2683); common length : 60.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2683)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 0;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 13-16;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 14 - 18. Diagnosis: body elongate; upper and lower jaws extremely long, forming a stout beak armed with strong teeth; nostrils in depression before eyes (nasal pit); gill rakers absent; pelvic fins abdominal; 13-16 dorsal-fin rays; no lateral keel on caudal peduncle; caudal fin emarginated (Ref. 57228).
Found in coastal areas, entering estuaries and brackish lagoons (Ref. 5757). Feeds mainly on small fishes (Ref. 28587). Oviparous (Ref. 205); eggs may be found attached to objects in the water by tendrils on the egg's surface (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Collette, B.B. and N.V. Parin, 1990. Belonidae. p. 592-597. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 5757)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
More information
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningSpawning aggregationFecundityEggsEgg development
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsElectrophoresesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingNutrientsMass conversion
Tools
Warning: mysqli::__construct(): (08004/1040): Too many connections in /var/www/html/includes/speciessummary.lib.php on line 2414
Can't connect to MySQL database fbquizv2. Errorcode: Too many connections