It has short pectoral fins which do not extend past the nasal fossa when they are folded forwards.

[4][5] Hemiramphus far is bathypelagic and is found in coastal waters of mountainous islands and continental shorelines; most frequently in areas of sea which are rich in vegetation and over sand flats.

The adults are largely phytovores feeding mainly on sea grasses and, to a lesser extent, on green algae and diatoms.

[2][3] Hemiramphus far is commercially exploited along the Arabian Sea coast of Pakistan where the species is considered of great economic importance.

[6] Hemiramphus far was described in 1775 by the Swedish zoologist Peter Forsskål as Esox far but the generic name Hemiramphus which is from the Greek hemi meaning "half" and rhamphos meaning "a bill" or "a peak" was coined by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1816.