Scientific Name	Platybelone argalus platyura   Pronounce			by: Lab of Fish Ecol. and Evo., BRCAS
Author	(Bennett, 1832)	Depth	0 - 10M
Chinese	寬尾鶴鱵	Poisonous Fish	No
Family_Chinese	鶴鱵科	Economic Fish	No
Family	F255　Belonidae	Edible Fish	Yes	Chinese In Mainland China	東非寬尾頜針魚
Max Length	38.2 cm	Aquarium Fish	No	Common Name	青旗、學仔、白天青旗
Distribution in World	India Ocean to West Pacific Ocean	Distribution in Taiwan	East、South、North
Habitats	Ocean、Coral、Coastal	Holotype Locality	Mauritius, Mascarenes, southwestern Indian Ocean
Synonyms	Belone carinata, Belone dorsalis, Belone persimilis, Belone platyura, Esox teatae, Platybelone aegulus platyura, Platybelone argala platyura, Platybelone argalus, Platybelone dorsalis, Platybelone platyura
Reference	臺灣魚類誌(沈等, 1993)；The Live Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific, Vol.4(FAO,1999)；(FAO, 2002)  沈世傑 編 Shih-Chieh Shen ed. 1993 Carpenter, K. E. etc. 1999
Specimen List	ASIZP0070371. ASIZP0916896. FRIP21267. NMMSTP00862. NTMP1279. NTOU-AE6017.
Common Name	Needlefish; Keeltail needlefish; Longtom; Flat-tailed needle fish; Keeled needlefish
Redlist Status	Not in IUCN Redlist
Characteristic	Body elongate, rounded in cross-section. Upper and especially lower jaws greatly elongate and studded with fine teeth. Gill rakers present. Anterior parts of dorsal and anal fins not forming prominent lobes; dorsal-fin rays few, 12 to 15; anal-fin rays 15 to 20; pectoral fin not falcate, pectoral-fin rays 10 to 12; caudal peduncle greatly depressed with very large lateral keels; caudal fin forked, upper and lower lobes of about equal length. Predorsal scales comparatively few and large, 108 to 120. Body bluish green above, silvery below; a dark blue stripe along sides; fins unpigmented; scales and bones green.
habitats	Inhabits offshore surface waters but is particularly abundant around islands. 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.
Distribution	Widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific from East Africa to the Hawaiian and Tuamoto islands, north to the Ogasawara Islands. Throughout Micronesia. It is found in eastern and southern Taiwanese waters.
Utility	Marketed fresh.