(page 169)

THE HALFBEAKS. FAMILY HEMIRAMPHIDAE


Table of Contents

The halfbeaks are close allies of the billfishes (Belonidae, p. 167), but it is only the lower jaw that is greatly prolonged while the upper jaw is short in the only species of present concern. They are largely herbivorous, feeding mainly on green algae. There are many species in warm seas, only one of which is known to reach the Gulf of Maine.