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Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes > Family Hemiramphidae
Plain halfbeak
awaiting identification*
Family Hemiramphidae
updated Sep 2020

Where seen? This stick-like fish with a narrow pointed lower jaw is sometimes encountered on many of our shores among seaweeds and seagrasses. Usually seen alone, but sometimes in a small group.

Features:
About 6-10cm long. Body long, cylindrical and silvery. Lower jaw is long and tapers to a sharp point, the tip paler. Grouped here are those with unmarked bodies, and those with two paler patches, one near the head the other near the tail. Grouped here are those with a dorsal that is black, or reddish, or unmarked. Tail fin is not forked.

The fishes grouped here may be different species.

Sisters Island, Aug 08

Sentosa, Oct 03

Kusu Island, Jul 11

Sometimes seen in a small group.
Raffles Lighthouse, Jul 06

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

Plain halfbeaks on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr
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