Flat needlefish are considered gamefish, frequently caught with the help of artificial lights,[4] but are not often eaten because of their green-colored flesh.

[5] The generic name Ablennes – formerly misspelled Athlennes – means ‘without mucosity’,[6] from the ancient Greek privative a- prefix and blennos (‘mucus’).

[7] Dorsally, flat needlefish are blueish, white ventrally, with dark blotches and 12-14 vertical bars in the middle of their bodies.

[9] Measurements for flat needlefish body length do not include their caudal fins and heads because the fish's long jaws are often broken off.

Flat needlefish usually live in neritic ocean waters near islands,[15] estuaries,[16] and near coastal rivers,[17] where they feed on smaller fish[4] and occasionally gather in large schools.