Philippines country information

Common names: Balo, Balu, Batali
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: In range Ref. 1602.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Zei, M., 1949
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Beloniformes (Needle fishes) > Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Flat-tailed needle fish, Longtom, Needlefish, ... more

Main reference

Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene. 1990. (Ref. 2334)
References | Biblio | Coordinator : Collette, Bruce B. | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 45.0 cm NG male/unsexed; (Ref. 89467); common length : 30.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 30573)

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 2 m (Ref. 58302)

Climate / Range

Tropical, preferred ?; 27°N - 46°S, 51°E - 109°W

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Hawaiian and Tuamoto islands, north to the Ogasawara Islands. The subspecies platura from the Red Sea to Persian Gulf, platyura in the rest of the Indo-Pacific, and argalus in the tropical Atlantic (Ref. 37816).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 20; Vertebrae: 62 - 75. Gill rakers present; dorsal fin rays few, 12-15; caudal peduncle greatly depressed with very large keel on each side (Ref. 9682). See also Ref. 1602.

Inhabits offshore surface waters but is particularly abundant around islands (Ref. 9682). Probably the most common needlefish of reef flats, lagoons and bays where it occurs in groups of a few to several dozen. Carnivorous, feeding mainly on small fishes; marketed fresh (Ref. 9682). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Eggs may be found attached to objects in the water by tendrils on the egg's surface (Ref. 205).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest; gamefish: yes

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = No PD50 data many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
4.2 ±0.73 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Moderate vulnerability (38 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)

Platybelone argalus platyura (Bennett, 1832)