Genera: 3; 11 species; 1 family Albulidae.
English: Bonefishes.
Use: popular game fish in Florida.
Region: South Pacific, Bahamas.
ZoologyFish; possess crushing teeth in their palates.
Form: slender; rounded with a long, slightly down turned snout.
Color: silver, with a blue to green tinted back; dark streaks with cross bands connecting to the lateral line on the upper half.
Fins: dorsal and caudal fins are black.
Size: 40 to 100 cm; 1 to 2 kg, up 8 kg.
Habitat: shallow sand and mud flats; brackish or saltwater; in estuaries; travelling out to sea to spawn on a lunar cycle.
Food: benthic organisms, worms, mollusks, shrimp, crabs, rooting out their prey with their conical-shaped snouts.
TaxonomyHalosauridae and Notacanthidae were previously classified in this
Albuliformes, but are now placed their own order
Notacanthiformes.