---
title: Halfbeaks (Hemiramphidae)
scientific_name: Hemiramphidae
common_name: Halfbeaks
rank: Family
published: 2024-11-19T18:41:51.573Z
updated: 2026-08-03T20:59:42.162Z
tags: Halfbeaks, Hemiramphidae, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving
url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/halfbeaks
---

# Halfbeaks (*Hemiramphidae*)

## Quick facts

- **Rank:** Family
- **Scientific name:** Hemiramphidae
- **Body shape:** Elongate - Long and slender, but still fish-shaped - trumpetfishes, needlefishes, cornetfishes.
- **Species listed here:** 3

## How to recognise this group

- elongated, slender body
- very long, protruding lower jaw, short upper jaw
- dorsal and anal fins positioned far back
- often seen in schools near the surface

Halfbeaks (family Hemiramphidae) are slender, elongated fish characterized by a significantly extended lower jaw and a short, triangular upper jaw. This distinctive jaw structure is reflected in their family name, Hemiramphidae, meaning "half-beak". Most species are silvery, often with a distinct lateral stripe, and possess dorsal and anal fins positioned far back on their bodies. Red Sea species typically grow from 10 cm (4 in) to 45 cm (1.5 ft) in length.

They commonly inhabit surface waters over coral reefs, seagrass beds, and sandy flats, usually found in depths from the surface down to 5 metres (16 ft). Often encountered in schools, halfbeaks feed on zooplankton, small invertebrates, and sometimes seagrass fragments. A notable behaviour involves their ability to skip across the water surface for metres to evade predators.


## Species (3)

- [Blackedge Halfbeak (Hemiramphus marginatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/halfbeaks/blackedge-halfbeak)
- [Red Sea Halfbeak (Hyporhamphus gamberur)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/halfbeaks/red-sea-halfbeak)
- [Spotted Halfbeak (Hemiramphus far)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/halfbeaks/spotted-halfbeak)

---

*Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/halfbeaks)*
*Updated: August 3, 2026*