Needlefishes, halfbeaks & flyingfishes

146 species · 6 families

Needlefishes, halfbeaks and flyingfishes are slender surface fish of open water, often with an elongated, beak-like jaw. The garfish has a long, thin bill full of small teeth and even green bones. Flyingfishes escape predators by gliding tens of metres over the water on their enlarged pectoral fins. Halfbeaks have only an elongated lower jaw and skim just below the surface. They hunt small fish and plankton and often give themselves away by leaping out of the water.

Open Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Free open beta.

Get the app →

Acute halfbeak

Hyporhamphus acutus

Hemiramphidae

African flyingfish

Cheilopogon nigricans

Exocoetidae

African halfbeak

Hyporhamphus picarti

Hemiramphidae

Agujon

Strongylura notata

Belonidae

Agujon needlefish

Tylosurus acus

Belonidae

Agujon needlefish

Tylosurus crocodilus

Belonidae

Alligator gar

Tylosurus gavialoides

Belonidae

Asian freshwater needlefish

Xenentodon canciloides

Belonidae

Asian halfbeak

Hyporhamphus intermedius

Hemiramphidae

Asian needlefish

Xenentodon cancila

Belonidae

Atlantic flyingfish

Cheilopogon melanurus

Exocoetidae

Atlantic flyingfish

Cheilopogon heterurus

Exocoetidae

Atlantic needlefish

Strongylura marina

Belonidae

Atlantic needlefish

Strongylura timucu

Belonidae

Atlantic needlefish

Scomberesox saurus

Scomberesocidae

Atlantic saury

Scomberesox scombroides

Scomberesocidae

Atlantic smallwing flyingfish

Oxyporhamphus micropterus

Hemiramphidae

Backspot flyingfish

Cheilopogon dorsomacula

Exocoetidae

Balao

Hemiramphus balao

Hemiramphidae

Balinese garfish

Hyporhamphus balinensis

Hemiramphidae

Ballyhoo

Hyporhamphus australis

Hemiramphidae

Ballyhoo

Hyporhamphus roberti

Hemiramphidae

Ballyhoo halfbeak

Hemiramphus brasiliensis

Hemiramphidae

Banded long-tom

Strongylura leiura

Belonidae

Banded needlefish

Strongylura strongylura

Belonidae

Bandwing flyingfish

Cheilopogon exsiliens

Exocoetidae

Barbel flyingfish

Exocoetus monocirrhus

Exocoetidae

Barred garfish

Hemiramphus far

Hemiramphidae

Barred halfbeak

Hemiramphus marginatus

Hemiramphidae

Barred longtom

Ablennes hians

Belonidae

Beakie

Hyporhamphus regularis

Hemiramphidae

Bearded flyingfish

Cheilopogon cyanopterus

Exocoetidae

no photo

Bearhead flyingfish

Cheilopogon arcticeps

Exocoetidae

Beautyfin flyingfish

Cypselurus callopterus

Exocoetidae

Bennett's flyingfish

Cheilopogon pinnatibarbatus

Exocoetidae

Bermuda halfbeak

Hemiramphus bermudensis

Hemiramphidae

Bigjaw halfbeak

Nomorhamphus megarrhamphus

Zenarchopteridae

Bigwing flyingfish

Prognichthys glaphyrae

Exocoetidae

Black medaka

Oryzias nigrimas

Adrianichthyidae

Black wing flyingfish

Hirundichthys rondeletii

Exocoetidae

Black-finned flying-fish

Hirundichthys speculiger

Exocoetidae

Black-finned flyingfish

Cypselurus opisthopus

Exocoetidae

Blackfin halfbeak

Hyporhamphus melanopterus

Hemiramphidae

Blacksail flyingfish

Cypselurus simus

Exocoetidae

Bleeker's flyingfish

Cypselurus oligolepis

Exocoetidae

Blotchwing flyingfish

Cheilopogon hubbsi

Exocoetidae

no photo

Blue flying fish

Exocoetus volitans

Exocoetidae

Blunt-snouted flying fish

Exocoetus obtusirostris

Exocoetidae

Bluntnose flyingfish

Prognichthys gibbifrons

Exocoetidae

Bony flyingfish

Hirundichthys oxycephalus

Exocoetidae

Brembach's halfbeak

Nomorhamphus brembachi

Zenarchopteridae

Buffonis halfbeak

Zenarchopterus buffonis

Zenarchopteridae

California halfbeak

Hyporhamphus rosae

Hemiramphidae

California needlefish

Strongylura exilis

Belonidae

Cape halfbeak

Hyporhamphus capensis

Hemiramphidae

Celebes halfbeak

Nomorhamphus celebensis

Zenarchopteridae

Clearwing Flyingfish

Cypselurus comatus

Exocoetidae

Common halfbeak

Hyporhamphus unifasciatus

Hemiramphidae

Congaturi halfbeak

Hyporhamphus limbatus

Hemiramphidae

Convex halfbeak

Hemiramphus convexus

Hemiramphidae

Darkbar flyingfish

Cypselurus hexazona

Exocoetidae

Doublebearded flyingfish

Cheilopogon furcatus

Exocoetidae

Driller's long-tom

Strongylura incisa

Belonidae

Duncker's river garfish

Zenarchopterus dunckeri

Zenarchopteridae

Dusky garfish

Hyporhamphus melanochir

Hemiramphidae

Dussumier's garfish

Hyporhamphus dussumieri

Hemiramphidae

Dwarf saury

Scomberesox simulans

Scomberesocidae

Dwarf saury

Cololabis adocetus

Scomberesocidae

Ebrardt's halfbeak

Nomorhamphus ebrardtii

Zenarchopteridae

Eigenmann's needlefish

Potamorrhaphis eigenmanni

Belonidae

Estuarine halfbeak

Zenarchopterus ectuntio

Zenarchopteridae

Estuarine halfbeak

Zenarchopterus dispar

Zenarchopteridae

Fitzroy garpike

Strongylura krefftii

Belonidae

Flat-tail longtom

Platybelone argalus

Belonidae

Flying fish

Fodiator acutus

Exocoetidae

Flying fish

Hirundichthys affinis

Exocoetidae

Flying fish

Parexocoetus brachypterus

Exocoetidae

Flying halfbeak

Euleptorhamphus viridis

Hemiramphidae

Flying halfbeak

Euleptorhamphus velox

Hemiramphidae

Flyingfish

Cypselurus poecilopterus

Exocoetidae

Forest halfbeak

Hemirhamphodon pogonognathus

Zenarchopteridae

Freshwater halfbeak

Dermogenys pusilla

Zenarchopteridae

Freshwater needlefish

Potamorrhaphis guianensis

Belonidae

Freshwater needlefish

Pseudotylosurus microps

Belonidae

Garfish

Belone belone

Belonidae

Garfish

Hyporhamphus quoyi

Hemiramphidae

Garfish

Arrhamphus sclerolepis

Hemiramphidae

Glider flyingfish

Cheilopogon atrisignis

Exocoetidae

Goldspot halfbeak

Hemirhamphodon chrysopunctatus

Zenarchopteridae

Halfbeak

Hyporhamphus snyderi

Hemiramphidae

Hardhead

Chriodorus atherinoides

Hemiramphidae

Hong Kong medaka

Oryzias curvinotus

Adrianichthyidae

Hound needlefish

Tylosurus fodiator

Belonidae

Humpback flyingfish

Exocoetus gibbosus

Exocoetidae

Indian glaskilli

Oryzias setnai

Adrianichthyidae

Indian medaka

Oryzias melastigma

Adrianichthyidae

Intermediate flyingfish

Cheilopogon intermedius

Exocoetidae

Japanese flyingfish

Cheilopogon agoo

Exocoetidae

Japanese halfbeak

Hyporhamphus sajori

Hemiramphidae

Japanese rice fish

Oryzias latipes

Adrianichthyidae

Java medaka

Oryzias javanicus

Adrianichthyidae

Jumping halfbeak

Hemiramphus archipelagicus

Hemiramphidae

Jumping halfbeak

Hemiramphus saltator

Hemiramphidae

Kapuas halfbeak

Hemirhamphodon kapuasensis

Zenarchopteridae

Liem's halfbeak

Nomorhamphus liemi

Zenarchopteridae

Limpidwing flyingfish

Cheilopogon unicolor

Exocoetidae

Long billed half beak

Rhynchorhamphus georgii

Hemiramphidae

Lutke's halfbeak

Hemiramphus lutkei

Hemiramphidae

Mackerel-pike

Cololabis saira

Scomberesocidae

Manyspotted flyingfish

Cheilopogon spilopterus

Exocoetidae

Mexican halfbeak

Hyporhamphus mexicanus

Hemiramphidae

Mirrorwing flyingfish

Cheilopogon katoptron

Exocoetidae

Naga halfbeak

Rhynchorhamphus naga

Hemiramphidae

Narrowhead flyingfish

Cypselurus angusticeps

Exocoetidae

New Guinea halfbeak

Zenarchopterus novaeguineae

Zenarchopteridae

Onetooth halfbeak

Hyporhamphus unicuspis

Hemiramphidae

Pacific agujon needlefish

Tylosurus pacificus

Belonidae

Pacific halfbeak

Hyporhamphus pacificus

Hemiramphidae

Pacific needlefish

Strongylura anastomella

Belonidae

Pacific silverstripe halfbeak

Hyporhamphus naos

Hemiramphidae

Palawan halfbeak

Dermogenys palawanensis

Zenarchopteridae

Peruvian flyingfish

Exocoetus peruvianus

Exocoetidae

Philippine halfbeak

Nomorhamphus philippinus

Zenarchopteridae

Philippine snubnose mojarra

Melapedalion breve

Hemiramphidae

Red Sea houndfish

Tylosurus choram

Belonidae

Redtip halfbeak

Hyporhamphus xanthopterus

Hemiramphidae

Sailfin flyingfish

Parexocoetus mento

Exocoetidae

Sarasin's ricefish

Oryzias sarasinorum

Adrianichthyidae

Senegal needlefish

Strongylura senegalensis

Belonidae

Sharpchin flyingfish

Fodiator rostratus

Exocoetidae

Short-beaked garfish

Belone svetovidovi

Belonidae

Shortfin flyingfish

Prognichthys brevipinnis

Exocoetidae

Shoulderspot needlefish

Strongylura scapularis

Belonidae

Siamese halfbeak

Dermogenys siamensis

Zenarchopteridae

Spottail needlefish

Strongylura urvillii

Belonidae

Spottedfin needlefish

Tylosurus punctulatus

Belonidae

Stained-wing flyingfish

Cheilopogon spilonotopterus

Exocoetidae

Sutton's flyingfish

Cheilopogon suttoni

Exocoetidae

Tengah halfbeak

Hemirhamphodon tengah

Zenarchopteridae

Threespot halfbeak

Hemiramphus robustus

Hemiramphidae

Towuti halfbeak

Nomorhamphus towoetii

Zenarchopteridae

Tropical halfbeak

Hyporhamphus affinis

Hemiramphidae

Weber's halfbeak

Nomorhamphus weberi

Zenarchopteridae

Western bigscale flyingfish

Prognichthys occidentalis

Exocoetidae

Whitespot flyingfish

Hirundichthys albimaculatus

Exocoetidae

Whitetip flyingfish

Cheilopogon xenopterus

Exocoetidae