First Report Confirming the Occurrence of Jumping Halfbeak Hemiramphus archipelagicus Collette and Parin 1978 (Beloniformes: Hemiramphidae) from the Western Bay of Bengal

Abstract

The Jumping halfbeak, Hemiramphus archipelagicus Collette and Parin 1978, has been previously reported from the west coast of India (Arabian Sea). During a taxonomic study on Hemiramphidae, eight specimens of H. archipelagicus, collected from the coastal water of Odisha, east coast of India, were examined. The species is characterized by 13-14 dorsal-fin rays, 9-12 anal-fin rays, 11-12 pectoral-fin rays, 6 pelvic-fin rays, 25-28 gillrakers on first gill arch and 36-41 pre-dorsal scales, body width less than the depth (62.1-62.3% in body depth), pectoral-fin short (17.2-18.4% in SL) not reaching anterior margin of nasal pit when folded forward, dorsal fin without well-developed anterior lobe and absence of vertical bars on the sides of body. This is the first report confirming the occurrence of H. archipelagicus from the east coast of India (western Bay of Bengal) suggesting that this species is widely distributed throughout the Indian coast.

Length-weight relationship, condition factor, and reproductive aspects of Lutke's halfbeak Hemiramphus lutkei (Valenciennes, 1847) from Seram Sea, Maluku, Indonesia

“…The b value of males and females is relatively the same, namely 3<b, which indicates a negative allometric growth pattern; that is, the increase in length of the fish is faster than the weight. H. lutkei has a greater total length ratio compared to body height and width (Talakua et al 2022), so it has an elongated and slightly cylindrical body shape (Behera et al 2019;Tiralongo et al 2022). The growth pattern of male and female H. lutkei in the Seram Sea is similar to that of H. lutkei from several locations.…”

“…Therefore, most of the fish that were captured are a group of fish that are in the gonad maturity phase and ready to spawn. The Lutke's halfbeak exhibits a daily migration (temporal migration) to coastal regions abundant in coral reefs and seagrass beds (Behera et al 2019;Akyol and Tosunoglu 2020). Until now, no information has been related to the length-weight relationship, condition factor and reproduction aspects of Lutke's halfbeak at Seram Sea, Maluku.…”

Record of Hemiramphus lutkei Valenciennes, 1847 from Seram Sea, Maluku, Indonesia with its molecular characterization

“…Hemiramphus archipelagicus can be distinguished from H. lutkei by the differences in length of the pectoral fin, H. archipelagicus has a relatively shorter pectoral fin and does not reach the anterior margin of the nostrils when folded forward. Hemiramphus lutkei also has more gill rakers and predorsal scales than H. archipelagicus (Behera et al 2020).…”