First Report Confirming the Occurrence of Jumping Halfbeak Hemiramphus archipelagicus Collette and Parin 1978 (Beloniformes: Hemiramphidae) from the Western Bay of Bengal

The Jumping halfbeak, Hemiramphus archipelagicus Collette and Parin 1978, has been previously reported from the west coast of India (Arabian Sea). During a taxonomic study on Hemiramphidae, eight specimens of H. archipelagicus, collected from the coastal water of Odisha, east coast of India, were examined. The species is characterized by 13-14 dorsal-fin rays, 9-12 anal-fin rays, 11-12 pectoral-fin rays, 6 pelvic-fin rays, 25-28 gillrakers on first gill arch and 36-41 pre-dorsal scales, body width less than the depth (62.1-62.3% in body depth), pectoral-fin short (17.2-18.4% in SL) not reaching anterior margin of nasal pit when folded forward, dorsal fin without well-developed anterior lobe and absence of vertical bars on the sides of body. This is the first report confirming the occurrence of H. archipelagicus from the east coast of India (western Bay of Bengal) suggesting that this species is widely distributed throughout the Indian coast.