halfbeak

halfbeak
/haf"beek', hahf"-/, n.
any of several marine fishes of the family Hemiramphidae, having a greatly elongated lower jaw.
[1875-80; HALF + BEAK]

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fish
      any of about 70 species of marine and freshwater fishes of the family Hemiramphidae (order Atheriniformes). Halfbeaks are named for their unusual jaws—the upper is short and triangular, and the lower is long, slim, and beaklike. The fish are silvery, slender, and up to about 45 centimetres (18 inches) long. They can skip across the water to escape from danger, and some are able to make short, gliding flights like the related flying fish (q.v.). Most halfbeaks are egg layers; others bear live young.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Halfbeak — Half beak (h[aum]f b[=e]k), n. (Zo[ o]l.) Any slender, marine fish of the genus {Hemirhamphus}, or of the family {Hemiramphidae}, having an elongated protruding lower jaw; called also {balahoo}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • halfbeak — [haf′bēk΄] n. any of a family (Hemirhamphidae, order Atheriniformes) of small, long bodied, tropical marine bony fishes with a greatly extended lower jaw and a short upper jaw …   English World dictionary

  • Halfbeak — label2= 2=Adrianichthyidae Phylogeny of the halfbeaks. The halfbeak family Hemiramphidae (Zenarchopterinae + Hemirhamphinae) is paraphyletic. [Nathan R. Lovejoy, Mahmood Iranpour, and Bruce B. Collette. 2004. Phylogeny and Jaw Ontogeny of… …   Wikipedia

  • halfbeak — /ˈhafbik/ (say hahfbeek) noun (plural halfbeak or halfbeaks) any of certain marine fishes constituting the genus Hemirhamphus and allied genera, having a long protruding lower jaw. Usage: For variation in the plural inflection, see note at fish1 …  

  • halfbeak — noun Date: 1880 any of various narrow bodied fishes of warm waters that have an elongated lower jaw and are grouped with the flying fishes (family Exocoetidae) or placed in their own family (Hemiramphidae) …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • halfbeak — noun Any slender, marine fish of the genus Hemirhamphus, having the upper jaw much shorter than the lower; called also balahoo …   Wiktionary

  • halfbeak — noun a slender coastal fish related to the flying fishes, with the lower jaw lengthened into a beak. [Euleptorhamphus viridis and other species.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • halfbeak —   Iheihe …   English-Hawaiian dictionary

  • halfbeak — noun tropical and subtropical marine and freshwater fishes having an elongated body and long protruding lower jaw • Hypernyms: ↑teleost fish, ↑teleost, ↑teleostan • Member Holonyms: ↑Hemiramphidae, ↑family Hemiramphidae …   Useful english dictionary

  • halfbeak stage — a development stage in Belonidae having a greatly elongate lower jaw and a comparatively short upper jaw …   Dictionary of ichthyology

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