Fish Identification Photos: Choelo Halfbeak, Hyporhamphus gilli: The Choelo Halfbeak has a very silvery appearance, translucent green back with three dark stripes, a distinct gray stripe mid-flank with a black top border, a white belly, a ridge before the eyes, and a characteristic long lower jaw with a red tip that is less than twice the length of the head.

The anal fin origin of the Choelo Halfbeak is behind the dorsal fin origin. The pelvic fin origin is closer to the pupil of the eye than to the caudal fin base. The pectoral fins are short and the fins are dusky to translucent. The base of the anal and dorsal fins as well as the top jaws are covered with scales.

A key to identification of the Choelo Halfbeak is that it has 37 to 50 rakers on its first gill arch.

The Choelo Halfbeak, due to its red tipped beak is most likely confused with the Silverstripe Halfbeak, Hyporhamphus naos (long beak with a red tip; distance from the pelvic fins to the caudal fin is less than the distance from the pelvic fins to the eye pupil).

The Choelo Halfbeak is a coastal pelagic species that reaches a maximum length of 8 inches and is found normally in the first 90 feet in the water column over sandy bottoms.

In Mexican waters the Choelo Halfbeak is found south of Guerrero Negro along the west side of the Baja California peninsula, in the lower half of the Sea of Cortez, and along the coast of the Mexican mainland south to Guatemala. Due to size, rarity, and inability to survive a panga bait tank the Choelo Halfbeak is deemed to be of limited value to most.

The Choelo Halfbeak is a member of the Hemiramphidae Family which are known in Mexico as pajaritos.

Choelo Halfbeak, Hyporhamphus gilli: Shows up on a very rare occasion when one purchases a “scoop of bait.” Caught in the surf zone, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, September, 2007, water temperature 84-degrees, early morning in 10 to 20 feet of water, utilizing a cast net by panguero bait salesmen. Size, approximately 7 inches. Fish identification reconfirmed by H.J. Walker, Jr., Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, Calif. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow.