Keeltail needlefish, like all
needlefish, closely resemble
North American freshwater gars (family
Lepisosteidae). It is most recognized by the large, flat
keel-like structures running on either side of the
tail.[3] They have 12 to 15 rays on their
dorsal fins, and 17 to 20 rays on their
anal fins. Keeltail needlefish have
gill-rakers, their caudal
peduncles have lateral keels,[4] with a
lateral line running
ventral to it, and grow up to 50 cm long [5]
The keeltail needlefish's top
jaw is also smaller than the lower one.[3]
They
school in sheltered parts of
reefs,[9] feeding mainly on smaller fish. Keeltail needlefish are
egg-laying, attaching their eggs to floating objects with specialized
tendril-like structures on the egg's surface.[10]
Fishbase treats P.a. lovii as a valid species, Platybelone lovii,[11] while other authorities also treat P.a platyura and P.a. trachura as valid species.[2]
^Claro, R., 1994. Características generales de la ictiofauna. p. 55-70. In R. Claro (ed.) Ecología de los peces marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo.
^ Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
^Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez, 1992. Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.
^Kuiter, R.H. and T. Tonozuka 2001 Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 1. Eels- Snappers, Muraenidae - Lutjanidae. Zoonetics, Australia. 302 p.
^Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen, 1966. Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.