Mouth on top of long snout for scooping sand. it is a very long and slender fish. Silvery.

They are widely distributed by New Zealand waters, but it is uncommon and rare to spot this species.

At the Aquarium we often see them in the harbour feeding on plankton attracted to large spotlights. Feeds mainly on larger zooplankton like mysids, crab larvae and polychaete larvae. Their diet also includes eelgrass and seaweed.

They can sense vibrations caused by their prey by the sensitive lateral line in their long lower jaws. [6]

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Collette, B.B., 1974. The garfishes (Hemiramphidae) of Australia and New Zealand. Records of the Australian Museum 29(2):11-105.