Fish Identification Photos: Pacific Needlefish, Tylosurus pacificus: The Pacific Needlefish is characterized by a dark blue-green back which is green upon collection and quickly turns to dark blue, silver belly, and distinctly eponymous “needlelike” appearance. The Pacific Needlefish has a long slender beak, 17 percent of its body length, and short pectoral and pelvic fins, both less than 8 percent of itsbody length). The inside of the mouth is a distinctive green coloration.

The bottom lobe of the Pacific Needlefish's forked caudal fin is much longer than the top lobe. The Pacific Needlefish has a raised, prominent black keel at the tail base. The Pacific Needlefish is quite similar to and can be confused with the Giant Mexican Needlefish, Tylosurus crocodiles fodiator (short beak, less than 17 percent of body length, and long pectoral and pelvic fins greater than 8 percent of body length, a more robust body, and an off-white colored mouth).

The Pacific Needlefish is a member of a group of coastal and oceanic pelagic schooling fish that are normally found on the surface well off shore that belong to the Belonidae or Needlefish Family.

The Pacific Needlefish has a limited distribution, being found in Mexican waters south of Guerrero Negro on the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula, in the lower one-third of the Sea of Cortez, and throughout the Pacific coast of mainland Mexico. It appears to be absent from around the oceanic islands. It reaches a maximum of 4 feet in length and is normally found in the first 25 feet of the water column. The Pacific Needlefish is viewed by locals as poor table fare and a “catch and release.” It feeds mainly on small schooling fish such as anchovies, herrings and mullets, and they are not known to attack larger reef fishes.

Pacific Needlefish, Tylosurus pacificus: Caught from shore in October 2006, utilizing 15-pound test line with a fish finder rig, 0.5-ounce barrel sinker, and Mustad 92553 hooks, size #4, on a frozen sardine, at Cabo Real, Km. 20, San Jose del Cabo (Los Cabos), Baja California Sur, Mexico. Size: approximately 84 cm. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow. Pacific Needlefish, Tylosurus pacificus: Greenish like the Mexican Needlefish, but not as heavily built and has a longer lower jaw and small off-white teeth. Length 34 inches, caught with a sardina on 8-pound line in front of Hotel Punta Colorada, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico, November 2001. Description and photo courtesy Peter Langstraat. Pacific Needlefish: A Pacific Needlefish, 42 inches, caught at El Rincon, Baja California Sur, Mexico, on strip bait with 8-pound line. Angler Tom Van Dalen. Peter Langstraat of Holland: "During my roundabout 300 days of fishing spread out over nine years, this was the only one of this species I ever saw. An amazing big eye combined with a dark blue back and green inside of the mouth." Photos courtesy Peter Langstraat.