Latin name

Ablennes hians

Other name

Barred longtom

Identification

The body of the flat needlefish is elongated, strongly compressed at the sides, and covered with small, cycloid, easily falling scales. The jaws are long, of equal length, forming a characteristic "beak". Both jaws have numerous needle-shaped sharp teeth. The nostrils are located in the fossa in front of the eyes. Gill stamens are absent. The lateral line runs low on the body from the beginning of the pectoral fins. Vertebrae 87-93. The right gonad is absent in females and reduced or absent in males.

Features of fish fins

The dorsal and anal fins are set well back toward the tail peduncle. There are no hard rays in the fins. The dorsal fin has 23-26 soft rays. The anal fin has 24-28 soft rays. The anterior parts of the dorsal and anal fins are high, crescent-shaped. There are no additional fins behind the dorsal and anal fins. Pectoral fins sickle-shaped, with 13-15 soft rays. The pelvic fins with 6 soft rays are located on the belly. There is no lateral keel on the caudal peduncle. The caudal fin is notched; the lower lobe is much longer than the upper lobe. 

Fish colouring

The upper part of the body is bluish-green, the lower part is silver-white. On the sides of the body there is a broad dark blue stripe and 12-14 dark vertical stripes. The tip of the lower jaw is red. In juveniles and adults, the back of the dorsal fin is black. Scales and bones are green. Posterior part of dorsal fin with prominent enlarged lobe of dark color. 

Distribution

Widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of all oceans within the 23.9°С isotherm. Eastern Atlantic: from Cape Verde and Mauritania to the Gulf of Guinea, Congo and Angola. Western Atlantic: from Massachusetts along the U.S. coast; Bermuda and the Bahamas; the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and further south along the coast of South America to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Indo-Pacific: from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf along the east coast of Africa to southern Africa; coastal waters of Southeast and South Asia to Indonesia and western Australia. Western Pacifica: from Japan to Australia; Hawaiian Islands. Eastern Pacifica: Mexico to Peru.

Habitat

Epipelagic marine oceanodromous fishes. They live in open and coastal waters at depths from 0 to 12 m. 

Size

The maximum length of these fish is 140 cm, usually up to 70 cm. The body weight is up to 4.8 kg. As the jaws of these fish are often broken, the maximum length is given as the body length excluding the head and caudal fin.

Behavior

In coastal waters, Flat needlefish are more likely to be found near islands than off the mainland coast. Sometimes enter estuaries and river mouths. Can form large aggregations. 

Food and feeding habits

They feed mainly on fish. 

Reproduction

Flat needlefish can lay up to 600 eggs. The eggs are attached to floating objects by filaments on the surface of the eggs.

Fishing

These fish are usually caught under artificial light.

Relationship with a person

It is sold fresh, salted, smoked or frozen. The market is limited due to the green color of the flesh.