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Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes > Family Hemiramphidae
Broad-nosed halfbeak
awaiting identification*
Family Hemiramphidae
updated Sep 2020

Where seen? This small stick-like fish with a wide flattened lower jaw is commonly seen on many of our shores. Among seagrass areas, coral rubble and reefs. It is more active at night.

Features:
About 6-8cm long. Body long, cylindrical and silvery. Sometimes with two broad pale or white patches, one near the head and another near the tail. The lower jaw is broad with a more rounded tip (not so pointy and sharp) and with a wide black or dark outer margin. Dorsal fin blackish. Tail fin is not forked.

The fishes grouped here may be different species.

Pulau Sekudu, Jul 06

Tanah Merah, Jun 09

Sisters Island, Aug 07

Is this a juvenile?
Tanah Merah, Jul 11

*Species are difficult to positively identify without closer examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.

Broad-nosed halfbeaks on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Labrador, Sep 09
Photo shared by Neo Mei Lin on her blog.

East Coast PCN, Apr 17
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

East Coast, Jul 15
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on flickr.


Sentosa, Sep 11
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.
 


Pulau Semakau (West), Jan 21
Photo shared by Jianlin Liu on facebook.

Pulau Semakau, Apr 10
Photo shared by James Koh on flickr.

Pulau Sudong, Dec 09
Photo shared by James Koh on flickr.

Filmed on Pulau Hantu, Jan 11

broadnosed halfbeak 22Jan2011 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

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