Beloniformes

Order of fishes

Beloniformes is an order composed of six families (and about 264 species) of freshwater and marine ray-finned fish: Adrianichthyidae (ricefish and medakas) Belonidae (needlefish) Exocoetidae (flyingfishes) Hemiramphidae (halfbeaks) Scomberesocidae (sauries) Zenarchopteridae (viviparous halfbeaks) With the exception of the Adrianichthyidae, these are streamlined, medium-sized fishes that live close to the surface of the water, feeding on algae, plankton, or smaller animals including other fishes. Most are marine, though a few needlefish and halfbeaks inhabit brackish and fresh waters. The order is sometimes divided up into two suborders, the Adrianichthyoidei and the Belonoidei, although this clade is referred to as Exocoetoidei in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World.

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