Flat Needlefish

Max length : 140 cm TL male/unsexed; common length : 70.0 cm SL male/unsexed; max. published weight: 4.8 kg

Inhabits neritic and oceanic waters but more often found near islands. Found in estuaries, and coastal rivers. Sometimes forming large schools. Feeds mainly on small fishes. Since the jaws are frequently broken, the maximum length is given as body length excluding head and caudal fin. Usually caught with the help of artificial lights.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 23-26; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 24 - 28; Vertebrae: 86 - 93. Dark bluish dorsally, silvery white ventrally with black blotches on middle of body. Body greatly compressed laterally; anterior parts of dorsal and anal fins with high falcate lobes. Pectoral fins falcate; about 12-14 prominent dark vertical bars on body; juveniles and adults have an elevated black lobe in the posterior part of the dorsal fin.

Oviparous. Eggs may be found attached to objects in the water by filaments on the egg's surface. In females, only left gonad is developed, and in males the right gonad is small or absent

Summary of Distribution: Worldwide distribution in tropical and warm temperate waters. Eastern Atlantic: Cape Verde and Dakar to Moçamedes, Angola; ranging further south to Namibia. Western Atlantic: Chesapeake Bay (USA), Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Throughout the Indian Ocean. Western Pacific: off coasts and islands from southern Japan through the East Indies to Australia (Ref. 9682). Reported from Tuvalu. Eastern Pacific: Mexico to Peru. Entire Caribbean, Antilles and South American coast to Rio de Janeiro
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)