The ballyhoo halfbeak or ballyhoo (''Hemiramphus brasiliensis'') is a

baitfish 300px, Feeder Goldfish are common baitfish. Bait fish (or baitfish) are small-sized fish caught and used by anglers as bait to attract larger predatory fish, particularly game fish. Baitfish species are typically those that are common and bree ...

of the

halfbeak Hemiramphidae is a family of fishes that are commonly called halfbeaks, spipe fish or spipefish. They are a geographically widespread and numerically abundant family of epipelagic fish inhabiting warm waters around the world. The halfbeaks are ...

family (

Hemiramphidae Hemiramphidae is a family of fishes that are commonly called halfbeaks, spipe fish or spipefish. They are a geographically widespread and numerically abundant family of epipelagic fish inhabiting warm waters around the world. The halfbeaks are ...

). It is similar to the Balao halfbeak (''H. balao'') in most features. Ballyhoo are frequently used as cut bait and for trolling purposes by saltwater sportsmen.McBride, Richard S., Lisa Foushee, and Behzad Mahmoudi. 1996. Florida's Halfbeak, "Hemiramphus" spp., Bait Fisher

''Marine Fisheries Review''. 58(1-2): 29-38.McBride, Richard S.. 2001. Landings, value, and fishing effort for halfbeaks, "Hemiramphus" spp., in the South Florida Lampara Net Fisher

''Proceedings of the 52nd Gulf Caribbean Fisheries Institute''. 52: 103-115. The fish is reported to have caused

ciguatera poisoning Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), also known simply as ciguatera, is a foodborne illness caused by eating reef fish whose flesh is contaminated with certain toxins. Such individual fish are said to be ciguatoxic. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vom ...

in humans. Also known as balahu, redtailed balao, and yellowtail ballyhoo, ballyhoo can be seen above the waters skimming the surface to escape from their predators. The appearance is similar to skipping stones on the water.

Description

The body shows typical halfbeak shape with an elongated lower jaw and cylindrical elongated body. They have no

spine Spine or spinal may refer to: Science Biology * Vertebral column, also known as the backbone * Dendritic spine, a small membranous protrusion from a neuron's dendrite * Thorns, spines, and prickles, needle-like structures in plants * Spine (zoolog ...

s on

fin A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fin ...

s, but do have 13-14 rays of their

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through conv ...

s and 12-13 rays on their

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

s. The longest recorded Jumping halfbeak was 55 cm long, but most do not exceed 35 cm. There is no ridge between nostril and eye. It feeds mainly on sea grasses and small fish.

Distribution and habitat

Ballyhoo is distributed in tropical-warm temperate latitudes on both sides of the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

. In Florida, USA, they inhabit shallow bank areas or grassflats associated with coral reefs.McBride, Richard S., and Justin R. Styer. 2002. Species Composition, Catch Rates, and Size Structure of Fishes Captured in the South Florida Lampara Net Fisher
http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/mfr641/mfr6413.pdf.
''Marine Fisheries Review''. 64(1): 21-27.McBride, Richard S., Justin R. Styer, and Rob Hudson. 2003

Spawning cycles and habitats for ballyhoo (Hemiramphus brasiliensis) and balao (H. balao) in south Florida ''Fishery Bulletin'' 101:583–589.

References

McBride, Richard S., and Paul E. Thurman. 2003. Reproductive Biology of Hemiramphus brasiliensis and H. balao (Hemiramphidae): Maturation, Spawning Frequency, and Fecundity. Biol. Bull. 204: 57–67
Temporal Dynamics of Reproduction in ''Hemiramphus brasiliensis'' (Osteichthyes: Hemiramphidae)

External links

* Hemiramphus, Ballyhoo Fish of the Atlantic Ocean Fish described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Beloniformes-stub