Home · Belonidae · Driller's long-tom
Driller's long-tom (Strongylura incisa) — Belonidae

Driller's long-tom

Strongylura incisa
Family: Belonidae

The Driller's long-tom (Strongylura incisa) is a saltwater fish of the family Belonidae that grows up to 100 cm.

Length
100 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–3.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The reef needlefish is a large needlefish (Belonidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species reaches about one metre and has an extremely elongate, silvery body with long, thin, sharply toothed beak-like jaws. It stays just below the surface over both lagoon and seaward reefs and hunts small fishes at high speed. Reproduction is oviparous; the eggs bear adhesive tendrils with which they attach to objects in the water. The species is regularly eaten.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Driller's long-tom?

The Driller's long-tom has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Driller's long-tom live?

The Driller's long-tom lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Driller's long-tom get?

The Driller's long-tom grows to a maximum of about 100 cm. On average the species is around 60 cm.

Is the Driller's long-tom dangerous to humans?

No, the Driller's long-tom is harmless to humans.

Is the Driller's long-tom edible?

Yes, the Driller's long-tom is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Rif-geep sourced
English name
Driller's long-tom verified
Scientific name
Strongylura incisa
Family
Belonidae
Other names
Large-scale long-tom; Moguya; Mougwai; Reef longtom; Reef needlefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
100.0 verified
Average length (cm)
60.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Beak-shaped inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
3.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Strongylura

More from the family Belonidae

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