American Halfbeak
Hyporhamphus meeki
The American halfbeak is a long, skinny, tannish-green fish with a long lower jaw. (NOAA NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center)
The American halfbeak is a long, skinny fish that visits the Chesapeake Bay’s shallow waters in summer and autumn.
Appearance:
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Long, skinny, tannish-green body
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Silvery belly
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Lower jaw, which has a fleshy red tip, is much longer than the upper jaw
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Grows to a maximum of 7 inches long
Habitat:
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Found in sandy, vegetated shallow waters
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Forms schools at the water’s surface
Range:
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Visits the Chesapeake Bay in summer and autumn
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Ventures as far north as Baltimore Harbor
Feeding:
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Feeds on algae and small organisms
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
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Spawns in the Bay during summer
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Eggs attach themselves with adhesive fibers to floating blades of eelgrass
Other Facts:
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Also known as Meeki’s halfbeak
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Gets its name from its elongated lower jaw
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Attracted to lights at night
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A quick, agile swimmer that is difficult to catch with a net
Sources and Additional Information:
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Fishes of Chesapeake Bay by Edward O. Murdy, Ray S. Birdsong and John A. Musick
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Life in the Chesapeake Bay by Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson
