Congaturi halfbeak (Hyporhamphus limbatus)
Image source: H.T.Cheng | inaturalist.org
General data
- Main name: Congaturi halfbeak
- Climates: Tropical, Subtropical
- Habitat: Amfidromous
- Native: Africa, Asia, Australia & Oceania
- Distribution: Bay of Bengal, Indian ocean, Pacific Ocean
Classification
- Genus: Hyporhamphus - Hyporhamphus
- Family: Hemiramphidae - Halfbeak
- Order: Beloniformes - Needlefishes
- Class: Actinopteri - Ray-finned fishes
- Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes
The Congaturi halfbeak (Hyporhamphus limbatus), also known as the Valenciennes halfbeak, is a species of fish in the family Hemiramphidae.
It is a valued commercial fish in tropical countries both dried salted and fresh forms.
The body shows typical halfbeak shape with an elongated lower jaw and cylindrical elongated body. They have no spines on fins, but do have 13-16 rays of their dorsal fins and 13-16 rays on their anal fins.
The longest recorded Jumping halfbeak was 35 cm long, but most of them are 13 cm long commonly. Caudal fin emarginate.
Body is greenish above, and a silvery lateral stripe widening posteriorly. Ventrally white in color. Fleshy tip of the beak is reddish colored.
Indo-West Pacific: Persian Gulf to China along the mainland coast of Asia. Replaced in the East Indies, Borneo, and the Philippines by Hyporhamphus neglectus and around northern Australia and southern New Guinea by Hyporhamphus neglectissimus.