Teleostei (teleosts) >
Beloniformes (Needle fishes) >
Belonidae (Needlefishes)
Etymology: Belone: Greek, belone = needle; any fish with sharp pointed snout; also Pierre Belon, 1517-64, French zoologist born in Le Mans. Professor at the College de France, author of " La nature et diversité des poissons", 1551 (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Dr Pierre Belon (du Mans) (1517–1564) (pen name Petrus Bellonius Cenomanus) was a French diplomat, writer, traveller and naturalist who was deeply interested in antiquity and extolled the virtues of the Renaissance. [...] This is a toponym referring to Pontus Euxinus, an old name for the Black Sea. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous; depth range 0 - ? m. Temperate
Endemic to Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Sea of Marmara.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 36.6, range 29 - ? cm
Max length : 55.3 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 127674); 65.1 cm TL (female)
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Fricke, R., M. Bilecenoglu and H.M. Sari, 2007. Annotated checklist of fish and lamprey species (Gnathostoma and Petromyzontomorphi) of Turkey, including a Red List of threatened and declining species. Stuttgarter Beitr. Naturk. Sea A (706):1-172. (Ref. 58342)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Special reports
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