Coral Reef Halfbeak

Body deep blue above, silvery stripe on side, silvery white below; caudal fin bluish, other fins unpigmented; tip and distal half of underside of lower jaw bright carmine red (Ref. 4164).Description: Characterized by depth of body 8.1-10.6 in SL; well developed anterior lobe of dorsal fin; body width contained 1.1-1.4 in its depth; presence of scales on upper jaw; preordital length much greater than upper jaw length; caudal fin with lower lobe slightly longer than upper (Ref. 90102).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 17; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 15 - 19; Vertebrae: 54 - 59

Found in inshore waters (Ref. 75154). Epipelagic inshore. Zooplanktivorous (Ref. 127989).

Found chiefly around coral reefs (Ref. 58534) and islands but extends a little further from shore than Hyporhamphus (R.) dussumieri which has a similar range (Ref. 10943). Found in schools (Ref. 9710). Feeds on zooplankton (Ref. 43448) also small fishes and detritius organic matter (Ref. 89972). Eggs covered with adhesive filaments to assist in attaching to floating and benthic objects (Ref. 43448).

Found chiefly around coral reefs and islands but extends a little further from shore than @Hyporhamphus (R.) dussumieri@ which has a similar range (Ref. 10943). Found in schools at the surface of lagoons and seaward reefs of oceanic islands and atolls (Ref. 9710).