The Keeltail Needlefish (Platybelone argalus), also referred to as the Keeled Needlefish, is a tropical species within the family Belonidae. First described by the French naturalist Charles Alexandre Lesueur in 1821, it is noted for its striking similarity to the North American freshwater gars of the family Lepisosteidae.
A distinctive feature of the Keeltail Needlefish is the prominent, keel-like structures adjacent to its tail. The species possesses 12 to 15 rays in the dorsal fins and 17 to 20 rays in the anal fins. Characteristically, it has gill-rakers, lateral keels on the caudal peduncles, a ventrally positioned lateral line, and can attain a maximum length of approximately 50 centimeters. Notably, the upper jaw of the Keeltail Needlefish is shorter than the lower jaw.
Geographically, the Keeltail Needlefish is distributed in the western Atlantic Ocean, ranging from North Carolina to 🇧🇷 Brazil, including regions such as the 🌊 Gulf of Mexico, the 🇧🇸 Bahamas, and the 🌊 Caribbean Sea. Its presence in the 🌊 Indian Ocean includes areas off the coast of East Africa, and its range extends into the 🌊 Pacific Ocean, up to the Hawaiian Islands and northward to the Ogasawara Islands. Additionally, it has been observed around the Arabian Peninsula, the 🌊 Red Sea, and the 🌊 Persian Gulf. Typically found in offshore environments, these fish are prevalent around islands.
The Keeltail Needlefish forms schools in protected reef areas and primarily feeds on smaller fish. Reproduction involves egg-laying, with unique tendril-like structures on the egg surfaces facilitating attachment to floating substrates.
Why it's threatened
Threat classification from the IUCN Red List.
