General Description

Slender cylindrical fishes with very long jaws armed with small needle-sharp teeth; dorsal and anal fins short-based, far back on body; pelvic fins abdominal; tail forked. Greenish above, white below, with a broad silvery stripe along the sides; pectoral fin yellow with dark spot near tip; tips of dorsal and anal fins and lower lobe of caudal fin yellow. To 73 cm.

Biology

Longtoms are voracious predators on small fishes. They are taken by recreational anglers.

Habitat

Surface waters in bays and estuaries and along the coast, in depths of 1-10 m.

Open water

Distribution guide

Indo-West Pacific and Australia. Rarely seen in Victoria.

Species Group

Fishes › Garfishes, halfbeaks and longtoms

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Max Size

73 cm

Harmful

Long, pointed snout with sharp teeth can cause injury.

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Not listed