Hemiramphus is a genus of schooling marine fish commonly called halfbeaks, garfish, or ballyhoos, and are members of the family Hemiramphidae. They inhabit the surface of warm temperate and tropical sea, and feed on algae, plankton, and smaller fish. Hemiramphus species are edible but are more important as food fish for larger predatory species including dolphinfish and billfish.
Species There are currently 11 recognized species in this genus: +SpeciesCommon nameImageHemiramphus archipelagicus Collette & Parin, 1978Jumping halfbeakHemiramphus balao Lesueur, 1821Balao halfbeakHemiramphus bermudensis Collette, 1962Bermuda halfbeakHemiramphus brasiliensis (Linnaeus, 1758)Ballyhoo halfbeakHemiramphus convexus M. C. W. Weber & de Beaufort, 1922Hemiramphus depauperatus Lay & E. T. Bennett, 1839Tropical halfbeakHemiramphus far (Forsskål, 1775)Blackbarred halfbeakHemiramphus lutkei Valenciennes, 1847Lutke's halfbeakHemiramphus marginatus (Forsskål, 1775)Yellowtip halfbeakHemiramphus robustus Günther, 1866Three-by-two garfishHemiramphus saltator C. H. Gilbert & Starks, 1904Longfin halfbeak
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