and prominent dark brown stripe along midline of snout; male (shown here) has elongate and thickened anal fin; several similar species in region, usually in brackish or fresh waters; found throughout the region; Andaman Sea and Indo-Australian Archipelago: to 13 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
★★
4 BARRED GARFISH
Hemiramphus far (Forsskål, 1775)
Inhabits coastal waters, frequently in schools near reefs; distinguished by 4-6 prominent dark bars on side; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 35 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
★★★
5 ROBUST GARFISH
Hemiramphus robustus Gunther, 1866 Inhabits coastal waters; similar to 4 above, but lacks dark bars on side (may have a single dark blotch below dorsal fin); both these species differ from 6 and 7 below in lacking scales on the triangular-shaped surface of the upper jaw; also known as Three by Two garfish; tropical and temperate Australia only; to 48 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
★★★
6 TROPICAL GARFISH
Hyporhamphus afftnis (Günther, 1866)
Inhabits coastal waters, occurring in schools; similar to 4 and 5 above, but has scales (versus no scales) on the triangular-shaped surface of the upper jaw, is more slender, and lacks bars or blotches on side; found throughout the region; Indo-C. Pacific; to 25 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
★★
7 QUOY’S GARFISH
Hyporhamphus quoyi (Valenciennes, 1847)
Inhabits coastal waters, occurring in schools; distinguished by the relatively short lower jaw; found throughout the region; E. Indian Ocean and W. Pacific; to 34 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
★★★
8 LONG-FINNED GARFISH
Euleptorhamphus viridis (van Hasselt, 1823)
Inhabits coastal waters, but sometimes encountered well offshore; distinguished by strongly compressed ribbon-like body, very long lower jaw, and wing-like pectoral fins; exhibits gliding behaviour similar to flyingfishes; found throughout the region; Indo-E. Pacific; to 60 cm. (HEMIRAMPHIDAE)
★★★
9 BARRED LONGTOM
Ablennes hians (Valenciennes, 1846)
Inhabits oceanic waters, often well offshore; distinguished by bars on rear part of body below dorsal fin; found throughout the region; worldwide tropical and subtropical seas; to 120 cm. (BELONIDAE)
★★
10 FLAT-TAILED LONGTOM
Platybelone platyura (Bennett, 1837)
Inhabits offshore waters; distinguished by flattened (dorsoventrally) tail base; found throughout the region; Indo-C. Pacific; to 40 cm. (BELONIDAE)
★★
11 SLENDER LONGTOM
Strongylura leiura (Bleeker, 1851)
Inhabits coastal waters, frequently in bays and estuaries; distinguished by elongate jaws, slender shape, and black bar or streak across base of gill cover (not shown); found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 110 cm. (BELONIDAE)
★★
12 CROCODILIAN LONGTOM
Tylosurus crocodilus (Péron & Lesueur, 1821)
Inhabits coastal waters; distinguished by dark fleshy ridge on side of tail base (not shown), found throughout the region; Atlantic and Indo-C. Pacific; to 150 cm. (BELONIDAE)
★★
13 STOUT LONGTOM
Tylosurus gavialoides (Castelnau, 1873)
Inhabits coastal waters; similar to 12 above, but lacks fleshy ridge on side of tail base also has more rounded snout tip (when viewed from above); found throughout the region; E. Indian Ocean and W. Pacific; to 130 cm. (BELONIDAE)
★★
14 SPOTTED HARDYHEAD
Allanetta mugiloides (McCulloch, 1912)
Inhabits coastal waters, frequently in schools off beaches; distinguished by small dark spot below pectoral fin; N. Australia only; to 6 cm. (ATHERINIDAE)
15 FEW-RAYED HARDYHEAD
Craterocephalus pauciradiatus (Gunther, 1861)
Inhabits coastal waters, occurring in schools; a non-descript silvery fish which has the anus positioned close to the pelvic fin base, and lacks a notch on the lower cheek margin; N.W. Australia only; to 6 cm. (ATHERINIDAE)
16 SAMOAN HARDYHEAD
Hypoatherina temminckii (Bleeker, 1853)
Inhabits coastal waters; distinguished by slender shape, anus placed far behind pelvic fin base, and prominent silvery midlateral stripe; found throughout the region; Indo-C. Pacific; to 10 cm. (ATHERINIDAE)
17 ENDRACHT HARDYHEAD
Atherinomorus endrachtensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
Inhabits coastal waters; similar to 14 above, but no spot below pectoral fin and rear part of lower jaw only slightly elevated (versus prominently elevated - mouth must be opened widely to detect this feature); N. Australia and New Guinea; to 10 cm. (ATHERINIDAE)
18 OGILBY’S HARDYHEAD
Atherinomorus ogilbyi (Whitley, 1930)
Inhabits shallow coastal waters, including bays and estuaries, usually in schools; distinguished by dark blotch at tip of pectoral fins; found throughout the region; Australia only - W. Australia, Queensland, and New S. Wales; to 17 cm. (ATHERINIDAE)
PLATE 14: SQUIRRELFISHES (HOLOCENTRIDAE)
1 BLACKFIN SOLDIERFISH
Myripristis adusta Bleeker, 1853
Inhabits caves and crevices of coral reefs; distinguished by black area on outer half of dorsal and anal fins; found throughout the region; W. Australia, Great Barrier Reef, and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 30 cm.
★★★
2 DOUBLETOOTH SOLDIERFISH
Myripristis hexagonatus (Lacepède, 1802)
Inhabits caves and crevices of coral reefs; similar to 4 below (both have 2 pairs of tooth patches on front of lower jaw, just outside of the mouth), but differs in having small scales on the inside base (“armpit”) of pectoral fin; found throughout
