Tylosurus acus

Tylosurus acus is a game fish of the family Belonidae.

Distribution

The keel-jawed needlefish is widespread in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans.

Taxonomy

There are four recognised subspecies of Tylosurus acus:

T. a. acus - in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil and in the eastern Atlantic off Morocco and in the western Mediterranean
T. a. imperialis in the Mediterranean Sea and Cape Verde Islands
T. a. rafale Collette and Parin 1970 Gulf of Guinea
T. a melanotus in the Indo-West Pacific and oceanic islands in the eastern tropical Pacific Revillagigedo Islands, Clipperton Island, and Cocos Island.

Tylosurus pacificus was once considered a subspecies of T. acus but is now considered a distinct species. Although acus was suppressed by ICZN Opinion 900, continued usage of the name led to Tylosurus acus being reinstated as a valid name. Some authorities raise the four subspecies to species level.