| Needlefish | |
|---|---|
| |
| Tylosurus crocodilus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Beloniformes |
| Superfamily: | Scomberesocoidea |
| Family: | Belonidae Bonaparte, 1832[1] |
| Genera | |
|
Ablennes | |
Needlefish (family Belonidae) or long toms[2] are piscivorous fishes primarily associated with very shallow marine habitats or the surface of the open sea. Some genera include species found in marine, brackish, and freshwater environments (e.g., Strongylura), while a few genera are confined to freshwater rivers and streams, including Belonion, Potamorrhaphis, and Xenentodon.[3] Needlefish closely resemble North American freshwater gars (family Lepisosteidae) in being elongated and having long, narrow jaws filled with sharp teeth, and some species of needlefishes are referred to as gars or garfish despite being only distantly related to the true gars. In fact, the name "garfish" was originally used for the needlefish Belone belone in Europe and only later applied to the North American fishes by European settlers during the 18th century.[4]
- ^ van der Laan, Richard; William N. Eschmeyer & Ronald Fricke (2014). "Family-group names of Recent fishes". Zootaxa. 3882 (2): 001–230. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1. PMID 25543675.
- ^ "LONG TOM FISH Photos, Info, Catch, Cook, Buy". www.sea-ex.com.
- ^ Froese, R., D.; Pauly (eds.). "Family Belonidae - Needlefishes". FishBase. Retrieved 29 November 2006.
- ^ Harper, Douglas. "Online Etymological Dictionary". Online Etymological Dictionary. Retrieved 29 November 2006.