Needlefish

ID points

• Upper and lower jaws equally drawn out into a slender pointed beak
• Extremely thin body, swimming right at the surface
• Green bones, and leaps from the water at speed when startled

Basics

Family

Belonidae

Length

40–100 cm

Depth

0-10 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic · Temperate & polar · Open ocean

Distribution

Surface waters of tropical and temperate seas worldwide

Habitat

Open ocean, surface waters

Diet

Small fish

Easily confused with

CornetfishBody long and thin like a tube, the snout making up a third of itBeltfishBody thin and long like a silver ribbon, with no tail finHalfbeakOnly the lower jaw is drawn out into a needle, the upper jaw is short

Fun fact

Long and thin as a silver needle, with blue-green bones. It is drawn to lights at night and leaps clear of the water at speed, and there are historical records of people being impaled and killed.