Tylosurus acus (keel-jawed needlefish) is a game fish of the family Belonidae.
Distribution
The keel-jawed needlefish is widespread in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans.
Taxonomy
There are four recognised subspecies of Tylosurus acus:
- T. a. acus <small>(Lacepède, 1803)</small> (Agujon needlefish) - in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil and in the eastern Atlantic off Morocco and in the western Mediterranean
- T. a. imperialis <small>(Rafinesque, 1810)</small> in the Mediterranean Sea and Cape Verde Islands
- T. a. rafale <small>Collette and Parin 1970</small> (Atlantic agujon needlefish) Gulf of Guinea
- T. a melanotus <small>(Bleeker, 1850)</small> (Keel-jawed needlefish) in the Indo-West Pacific and oceanic islands in the eastern tropical Pacific Revillagigedo Islands, Clipperton Island, and Cocos Island.
Tylosurus pacificus was once considered a subspecies of T. acus but is now considered a distinct species. Although acus was suppressed by ICZN Opinion 900, continued usage of the name led to Tylosurus acus being reinstated as a valid name. Some authorities raise the four subspecies to species level.
References