{{Short description|Species of fish}} {{Other uses}} {{Speciesbox | name = Ballyhoo | image = Halfbeak Cuba.JPG | image_caption = Off the coast of Cuba | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021">{{cite iucn |last1=Collette |first1 = B. |last2=Polanco | first2 = Fernandez, A. |last3=Aiken |first3 = K. A. |date=2015 |title=''Hemiramphus brasiliensis'' |volume=2015 |article-number=e.T15521927A15603430 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T15521927A15603430.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref> | taxon = Hemiramphus brasiliensis | authority = (Linnaeus, 1758) | synonyms = *''Esox brasiliensis '' <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small> *''Hemiramphus brownii '' <small>Valenciennes, 1847</small> *''Macrognathus brevirostris '' <small>Gronow, 1854 </small> *''Hemirhamphus filamentosus'' <small>Poey, 1860 </small> | range_map = Hemiramphus brasiliensis distribution map.jpg | range_map_caption = {{legend0|#004de5| native range}} }}
The '''ballyhoo halfbeak''', '''ballyhoo''', '''balahu''', '''redtailed balao''' or '''yellowtail ballyhoo''' ('''''Hemiramphus brasiliensis''''') is a baitfish of the halfbeak family (Hemiramphidae). It is similar to the Balao halfbeak (''H. balao'') in most features. Some are used for trolling by saltwater anglers.<ref name="McBMFR1">McBride, Richard S., Lisa Foushee, and Behzad Mahmoudi. 1996. Florida's Halfbeak, "Hemiramphus" spp., Bait Fishery [http://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/mfr581-2/mfr581-24.pdf] ''Marine Fisheries Review''. 58(1-2): 29–38.</ref><ref name="McBGCFI">McBride, Richard S.. 2001. Landings, value, and fishing effort for halfbeaks, "Hemiramphus" spp., in the South Florida Lampara Net Fishery [http://aquaticcommons.org/13400/1/gcfi_52-10.pdf] ''Proceedings of the 52nd Gulf Caribbean Fisheries Institute''. 52: 103–115.</ref> Some have caused ciguatera poisoning in humans.<ref name = "Fishbase" />
==Description== The body shows typical halfbeak shape with an elongated lower jaw and cylindrical elongated body.<ref name = "Fishbase">{{FishBase|genus=Hemiramphus|species= brasiliensis |year=2015|month=07}}</ref> They have no spines on fins, but do have 13–14 rays of their dorsal fins and 12–13 rays on their anal fins.<ref name = "Fishbase" /> The longest recorded Jumping halfbeak was 55 cm long, but most do not exceed 35 cm. There is no ridge between nostril and eye. It feeds mainly on sea grasses and small fish.<ref name = "Fishbase" />
==Distribution and habitat== Ballyhoo are distributed in tropical-warm temperate latitudes on both sides of the Atlantic.<ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021" /> In Florida, they inhabit shallow bank areas or grassflats associated with coral reefs.<ref name = "McBMFR2">McBride, Richard S., and Justin R. Styer. 2002. Species Composition, Catch Rates, and Size Structure of Fishes Captured in the South Florida Lampara Net Fishery [http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/mfr641/mfr6413.pdf http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/mfr641/mfr6413.pdf.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208192907/http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/mfr641/mfr6413.pdf |date=2016-12-08 }} ''Marine Fisheries Review''. 64(1): 21–27.</ref><ref name="McBFB">McBride, Richard S., Justin R. Styer, and Rob Hudson. 2003. [http://fishbull.noaa.gov/1013/09mcbrid.pdf] Spawning cycles and habitats for ballyhoo (''Hemiramphus brasiliensis'') and balao (''H. balao'') in south Florida ''Fishery Bulletin'' 101:583–589.</ref> thumb|left|In Cuban waters ==References== {{Reflist}} McBride, Richard S., and Paul E. Thurman. 2003. Reproductive Biology of ''Hemiramphus brasiliensis'' and ''H. balao'' (Hemiramphidae): Maturation, Spawning Frequency, and Fecundity. Biol. Bull. 204: 57–67. [http://www.biolbull.org/content/204/1/57.full.pdf] *[http://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2014/837151/ Temporal Dynamics of Reproduction in ''Hemiramphus brasiliensis'' (Osteichthyes: Hemiramphidae)]
==External links== * {{SealifePhotos|159279}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q515014}}
Ballyhoo Category:Fish of the Atlantic Ocean Category:Fish described in 1758 Category:Animal taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Beloniformes-stub}}