Lutke'S Half Beak

Greatly prolonged, beak-like lower jaw; upper jaw short, triangular and without scales; preorbital ridge absent; total number of gill rakers on first gill arch 33-46; pectoral fins long, reaching beyond anterior margin of nasal pit when folded forward; no spots or vertical bars on sides.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 15; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 10 - 13; Vertebrae: 52 - 57

Inhabits coastal waters rich in vegetation (Ref. 5213). Found more offshore than other species of Hemiramphus in the western central Pacific; juveniles and immature individuals are relatively common far from shore, usually among floating plants (Ref. 9843). Caught by set-net.

fisheries: minor commercial; price category: medium; price reliability: questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this genus

分布於印度-西太平洋區，西起印度洋，東至薩摩亞，北至日本南部，南至新幾內亞。臺灣各清澈水域皆可發現。

主要漁期在春夏季節，可利用流刺網、定置網等漁法捕獲，肉質味美，可用油煎或碳烤，是很好的下酒菜。

體延長，側扁，標準體長為頭長之4.1-4.4倍。眼前脊缺如。上頜短，突出成三角形，其上無鱗；下頜突出如喙，其長不小於頭長；鋤骨及舌上無齒。鼻窩內具一圓形或扇形嗅瓣。第一鰓弓上鰓耙33-46(通常為36-41)。鰾為多室型。背前鱗數35-43(通常為37-41)；側線位低，近腹緣。背鰭與臀鰭對在，臀鰭起點在背鰭第4-5軟條之下方，背鰭具12-15軟條(通常為13或14)，臀鰭具10-13軟條(通常為12)；雄魚之臀鰭不變形；胸鰭較長，標準體長為胸鰭長之4.8-5.4倍，具 10-12軟條(通常為11)；腹鰭短小，後位，其基底與尾鰭基底之間距遠短於其與鰓蓋後緣之間距；尾鰭叉形，下葉長於上葉。體背呈淺灰藍，腹部白色，體側中間有一條銀白色縱帶，無垂直暗斑；喙為黑色，前端具明亮之橘紅色。

主要棲息沿岸或島嶼四周較乾淨的水域表層，成群洄游，群數由數十至數百尾為一群，一般皆在水草較多的水域。產卵期在每年4-7月左右。以水層中的浮游動物為主食。

Inhabits coastal waters rich in vegetation (Ref. 5213). Found more offshore than other species of @Hemiramphus@ in the western central Pacific; juveniles and immature individuals are relatively common far from shore, usually among floating plants (Ref. 9843). Caught by set-net.