FLYING FISH

GROUP 4: FISH
... ORDER ~ FAMILY
~ Cyprinodontiformes "'1IIIIIIII Exocoetidae
GENERA
Exocoetus, Thoracopterus, Fodiator, etc.
Flying fish have an extraordinary way of escaping from enemies.
They accelerate across the ocean surface like a seaplane, then
spread their fins and glide above the water to safety.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Up to 18 in. (California
flying fish) .
Weight: Up to 1 ~ lb.
BREEDING
Mating season: Spring and
early summer in warm and
temperate waters.
Eggs: Free-floating in oceanic
species. Filaments on eggs of
shallow sea species catch in
floating vegetation or debris.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable, but does not
swim in tightly organized schools.
Diet: Small planktonic animals,
including the larvae of other fish.
lifespan: Unknowri.
RELATED SPECIES
There are about 48 species of
flying fish of various genera
worldwide. The most closely
related species are the tropical
halfbeaks and the needlefish.
FEATURES OF FLYING FISH
Tail: Enlarged,
powerful lower
lobe. Used to
build up momen-
tum that allows
fish to clear the
water.
Fins: Large pectoral fins fold
back along body when swim-
ming and spread out rigidly
when "flying." Pelvic fins are
also large in
MCMXCI IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILET ...
Range of flying fish.
DISTRIBUTION
Flying fish occur in theyopical zones of all the major oceans.
The Atlantic flying fish often moves into northern waters
around Europe and North America in late summer and
leaves when the water cools in early winter.
CONSERVATION
Although the California flying fish has some commercial
value as bait for game fishing, no species is in direct danger.
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HOW A FLYING FISH GLIDES
THROUGH THE AIR
1. Approaches surface of the
water at an angle, vibrating tail to
build up momentum.
2. Spreads fins and glides for
several feet.
3. As a flying fish loses momen-
tum, it may touch its tail down in
the water, regaining propulsion to
continue its flight.
0160200441 PACKET 44
Flying fish live mainly in tropical oceans, where
they are favorite targets of predators such as tunas,
sharks, and seabirds. Their celebrated skill in the
air often helps them escape underwater attackers.
But their prowess at "flying" may carry them away
from one enemy, only to deliver them into the
jaws of an airborne predator.
~ H A B I T S
While feeding in surface wa-
ters, flying fish are targets for
tuna and bonito, which hunt
in packs in warm seas. To es-
cape these predators, flying
fish leap out of the water and
glide over the ocean surface.
Their "wings" are large pec-
toral fins and, in some species,
pelvic fins. The fins are usual-
ly folded back along the fish's
flanks. But when it "flies," the
fish holds its fins out stiffly,
like airplane wings.
As it propels itself through
the water, a flying fish builds
up momentum until it can
glide through the air.
As it breaks the surface, the
fish speeds up by vibrating
the lower lobe of its tail fin in
the water. Then it spreads its
"wings" and glides clear of
the waves for several seconds
before touching down.
The average "flight" lasts
two to three seconds, but
longer flights are common,
sometimes lasting 10 seconds
and covering over 30 feet.
While flying is an ideal way
of escaping from predatory
tuna, it puts the fish in jeop-
ardy from ocean birds such
as the albatross and frigate
bird, which snatch flying fish
as they leap from the water.
Right: Flying fish are most
common in tropical waters,
despite the scarcity of food.
~ BREEDING
In the Mediterranean, the At-
lantic flying fish spawns from
May to July. The eggs are cov-
ered with fine threads, or fila-
ments, that anchor them to
floating objects so they do not
sink to the seabed.
All coastal species of flying fish
have similar eggs. But the eggs
of open sea species have much
Left: By flicking its tail back into
the water, a flying fish can con-
tinue its flight for some time.
DID YOU KNOW?
When accelerating for take-
off, a flying fish vibrates its
tail at a rate of over 50 beats
per second.
A record flight of 42 sec-
onds covered 2,000 feet.
Some marine predators,
like dolphins, outwit a flying
fish by swimming along its
shorter filaments that act like
parachutes, slowing down the
eggs as they sink in the water.
The eggs hatch while sinking,
and the larvae drift back to the
surface to feed on plankton.
Unlike their parents, young
flying fish are often brightly
colored, with shorter pelvic and
pectoral fins and a long barbel
trailing from the chin. In one
species the barbel is longer than
the body of the young fish.
path at high speed. When
the fish reenters the water,
the predator is waiting for it.
Flying fish have been found
on ship decks over 30 feet
above sea level. They may
reach this height by taking
off into the wind and being
swept up by air currents.
Above: A
flying fish uses
both pectoral
and pelvic fins
to power its
"flight."
Left: A flying
fish clears the
water easily
as it glides,
escaping
underwater
enemies.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
Most flying fish live in the
warm oceans of the tropics,
where they eat zooplankton
-tiny floating animals such
as copepods and the larvae of
crabs and fish.
Flying fish gather in areas
where currents carry nutrients
up to the surface waters. The
nutrients are eaten by zoo-
plankton, which in turn are
eaten by flying fish.
Flying fish feed in the upper
parts of the ocean, where
plankton is densest. They
strain water through their gill
rakers to filter out edible par-
ticles. Larger plankton eaters
such as whale sharks may join
the flying"fish when feeding.
BASKING SHARK
ORDER
Lamniformes
FAMILY
Cetorhinidae
GROUP 4: FI SH
GENUS &: SPECIES
Cetorhinus maximus
The basking shark may look more fearsome than its smaller, more
fierce relatives. But despite its cavernous mouth and huge
dorsal fin, it is a placid, harmless giant.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Averages 25-30 ft.
Weight: 4-4Y.1 tons.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2-4 years.
Mating season: Spring in the
North Atlantic.
Gestation: May last 3 years.
No. of young: 1, occasionally 2.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Occurs singly, in small
groups, or in schools. Slow-
moving; often appears at the
surface.
Diet: Plankton.
lifespan: Not known.
RELATED SPECIES
The basking shark is in a family by
itself. But it is related to thresher
sharks and mackerel sharks.
Range of the basking shark.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in temperate waters in both the northern and
southern hemispheres.
CONSERVATION
The basking shark is thought to be low in numbers, but
there are no accurate details about population figures.
There is some concern that fishing may be reducing the
basking shark's feeding areas.
SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS OF THE BASKING SHARK
Gill rakers:
Sticky, mucous-
covered bristles
trap food.
Filament: Thin layers of
orange-red flesh that absorb
en from the water.
Feeding: Water, oxygen,
and plankton are sucked
into the mouth and
filtered through the gill
rakers. The rakers trap
the food but allow the
water and carbon
dioxide out through the
five gill slits on each side
of the mouth.
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Gill rakers
Filament
0160200401 PACKET 40
cruising near the surface of temperate oceans
with its giant mouth wide open.
Despite its huge size-up to 30 feet-it feeds
only on tiny sea creatures that it filters
from the water.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
Sharks are renowned as fierce
predators. Yet the two largest
species, the basking shark and
the whale shark, have a com-
pletely different feeding be-
havior. Like manta rays and
great baleen whales, they
sustain their enormous bulk by
swallowing great quantities of
plankton-tiny ocean creatures
that include fish eggs, cope-
pods, and arrow worms.
By cruising gently through
the ocean with its great mouth
yawning open, the basking
shark draws in tons of water.
The water passes out through
five wide gill slits on each side
of the shark's neck after it has
been strained through rows of
gill rakers. Thousands of these
mucous-covered bristlelike
structures lie next to the gills.
Each is about four inches long.
When the basking shark opens
its mouth, the gill rakers spring
up to form dense fringes that
trap the tiniest prey.
The basking shark is known for
cruising slowly. It rarely swims
faster than three miles an hour
and is often seen at the sur-
face of the water. It is named
for its habit of lying still-its
back breaking the surface and
its great dorsal fin protrud-
ing-as if it were basking in
the sun. Although they are
often seen alone or in twos
and threes, basking sharks
sometimes gather in schools
of 50 or even more than 100
individuals.
Basking sharks are seen
most often in summer, when
temperate waters are rich in
plankton. In winter this food
supply dwindles, and it is
thought that the sharks can-
not take in enough plankton
to remain active. Instead, they
may retreat to deeper water or
DID YOU KNOW?
The basking shark is the
second-largest fish in the
world after the whale shark.
The largest basking sharks
on record include a 39-foot
specimen trapped in a net
off southeast Canada in
1851, another 39-foot shark
caught off Portugal in 1865,
and a 45-foot giant caught
off Norway in the 1890s.
Cruising at about 2 knots, a
basking shark can filter 1,000
tons of seawater through its
mouth in an hour.
l eft: The basking shark is a
gentle giant of the ocean.
Front cover inset: The basking
shark's wide, gaping mouth acts
like an enormous sieve.
possibly the sea floor. There
they lie still and stop feeding.
Their metabolic rate drops,
and they rely on deep currents
to bring oxygen to their gills.
In European waters basking
sharks appear to shed their
gill rakers in winter, making
feeding impossible. By spring,
when plankton starts to flour-
ish again, they have acquired
new gill rakers.
~ NATUREWATCH
Basking sharks are summer
visitors t o both the Atlantic
and Pacific shores of North
Ameri ca, in coastal and
offshore waters. They start
to appear in late April and
early May, when marine
copepods, a staple food, are
There are reports of
basking sharks leaping
completely out of the
water. They may have
been trying to drive off
parasites, such as lamprey,
attached to their bodies.
Basking sharks have
never been major fishing
prey. But some have been
fished off Ireland, Scotland,
and Norway. The liver
from a single shark can
weigh 1,500 pounds and
yields valuable oil.
~ BREEDING
Little is known about the
breeding behavior of the
basking shark. It IS known,
however, that egg pro-
duction is strikingly different
from that of most sharks.
Sharks generally produce a
small number of large eggs.
But a female basking shark
may produce six million eggs
that are 0.02 to 0.2 inches in
diameter. Fertilization is in-
ternal, and the young seem
to develop inside the moth-
er's body, as in most sharks.
Why the female produces
such a huge number of eggs
is unclear. It may be that the
abundant near the surface.
By the end of November,
the basking sharks have dis-
appeared, probably to deep
water for a long winter fast.
The tall dorsal fin and the
sheer size of a basking shark
make it easy to recognize.
Above: To nourish its huge body,
the basking shark spends a large
amount of time feeding near the
surface of the water.
mass of unfertilized eggs
provides nourishment for the
developing embryos.
The end result is only one
or two offspring. At birth,
basking sharks are already
about five feet long. Im-
mature sharks can grow up
to 15 feet. At this stage the
sharks have long, fleshy
snouts, with a curved hook
at the tip. Basking sharks
generally reach sexual ma-
turity when they are 15 to
20 feet long.
Below: A system of gill rakers en-
sures that no food escapes the
basking shark's mouth.
"" CARD 33
RUDD
~ ~ ___________________________________ G_R_O_U_P_4_:_F_IS_H __ ~
.. ORDER ... FAMILY .. GENUS &: SPECIES
~ Cypriniformes ~ Cyprinidae ~ Scardinius erythrophthalmus
The rudd is a resilient, adaptable fish that thrives under the most
difficult of conditions. It often appears as if by magic in the
seemingly barren waters of newly flooded quarries.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Average, 6-12 in.
Weight: Average, 1 lb .
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 2-3 years.
Spawning: April to June.
Eggs: ~ o in., round. They stick to
vegetation.
Hatching period: 8-15 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Surface-feeders. Swim in
small schools.
Diet: Crustaceans, aquatic insects,
flying insects that land on water,
some plant matter.
lifespan: Up to 10 years.
RELATED SPECIES
A member of the carp family, its
nearest relative is the very similar
roach, Rutilus ruti/us.
HOW THE RUDD FEEDS
Range of the rudd.
DISTRIBUTION
Basically a European species, the rudd is found from Ireland
and southern England through France, Italy, and Greece to
western Siberia and north to Sweden.
CONSERVATION
The rudd is not threatened, either directly or indirectly. It is a
very resilient fish and can survive in waters with relatively high
levels of organic pollution.
Surface feeding: The rudd 's sharply
angled mouth allows it to feed on in-
sect larvae that float on the surface
of the water.
Spawning: Between April and June
the rudd lays sticky, mucus-covered
eggs that float downstream and be-
come attached to water plants.
position of its
mouth, the rudd
can take food
from the bottom
. only when swim-
ming vertically.
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The rudd is a small surface-feeding member
of the carp family. Like all of its relatives, it can survive
in large, slow rivers and lowland lakes that contain
little oxygen and are often polluted with fertilizers.
In these waters, the rudd is a major predator of
insects and other small aquatic animals.
Basically a still-water fish, the
rudd is found in lowland lakes,
ponds, and river backwaters. It
is especially common in man-
made lakes and channels such
as flooded gravel pits and drain-
age ditches. These waters are
usually rich in plant nutrients
like nitrogen and phosphorus
that come from decaying plants
and animals or from fertilizers
washed off of adjoining farm-
land. The plant nutrients pro-
mote lush growths of water
plants on which the rudd feeds.
As a result, these neglected,
overgrown waters often teem
with rudd.
The abundant plant nutrients
also help to create clouds of mi-
croscopic floating algae. When
the algae die and rot, the de-
caying action of organisms like
bacteria can use up a great deal
of oxygen in the water. While
many fish become ill or die in
such conditions, the rudd is
able to feed and thrive.
The rudd can also survive in
waters where the food supply is
inadequate for most fish. Small,
depleted lakes in soft-water areas
often harbor large schools of ap-
parently half-grown rudd, whose
growth has been stunted by
poor nutrition.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
Although the rudd eats some
plants, it feeds mainly on insects
and small aquatic crustaceans
such as freshwater plankton.
The rudd usually feeds in mid-
water or near the surface. On
hot summer days large schools
of rudd can be seen just be-
neath the surface preying on
Left: The rudd can be identified by
its protruding lower jaw.
~ ENEMIES
In lowland lakes the rudd preys
on insects and other small wa-
ter animals. In turn, it is preyed
on by larger fish such as perch
and pike. Rudd are most vulner-
able when young. While barely
mobile, a large proportion of
young, called fry, are eaten by
other fish. When they grow big-
ger, rudd are harder to catch.
Since they are surface feeders,
rudd are easily seen from above
by fish-eating birds such as the
heron. The rudd that colonize
gravel pits provide a steady
source of food for the great
crested grebe. Small rudd in
river backwaters often fall prey
to kingfishers.
Fishermen often catch rudd,
which rise to their bait. Since
rudd are not usually eaten,
however, most of the fish are
thrown back.
small floating insects such as
mosquito larvae. In summer
large rudd are a major threat to
the young fish that feed on the
tiny planktonic animals swarm-
ing beneath the surface of rich
lowland lakes.
The rudd's steeply angled
mouth is ideal for snapping up
flies that fall into the water, but
it is ill suited for feeding on the
~ BREEDING & GROWTH
From April to June rudd move
into shallow waters to spawn,
often congregating in large
schools around submerged
plants. The fish may be seen
rolling at the surface as the
males weave through the
schools, fertilizing the eggs.
The transparent eggs become
attached to water plants, which
helps prevent them from being
eaten by predators (including
other rudd) or being swept
away into unsuitable waters.
The eggs hatch in 8 to 15
days, depending on the water
bottom. Like all its relatives in
the carp family, the rudd lacks
teeth in its jaws. Instead, it has
bony knobs mounted on bones
on each side of its throat. It
grinds these knobs against a
hard, horny pad in the roof of
its throat to crunch up insects.
Below: Rudd thrive in warm water
and often congregate at water out-
lets near power stations.
temperature. The emerging lar-
vae look like tiny, transparent
fry. Each larva has a yolk sac
with nutrients that sustain it
during its first days of life. The
tiny fish then begins to feed on
microscopic floating animals.
At a year old, the young fish
DID YOU KNOW?
Rudd found in isolated
gravel pits may arrive as
eggs, stuck to the feet of
birds that fly in from lakes.
Spawning rudd often
get mixed up with roach
and bream, and many
eggs develop into hybrids
that share the characteris-
tics of both parents.
are about three inches long
and begin eating plant food.
They soon start eating insects.
If food is abundant, they may
grow up to 18 inches long. But
since most rudd live in poor
conditions, the mature fish are
usually much smaller.
STICKLEBACK
GROUP 4: FISH
... ORDER
~ Gasterosteiformes
... FAMILY
~ Gasterosteidae
... GENERA & SPECIES
~ Gasterosteus aculeatus, etc.
Sticklebacks are named for their dorsal spines, which may offer
some protection from predators. In the breeding season the males
become brightly colored and care for the young.
KEY FACTS
SIZE
Length: Usually 2 in. Rarelyex-
ceeds 4 in., but 15-spined stickle-
back can reach 8 in.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: At end of first
year (3-spined stickleback).
Mating season: Spring to summer.
No. of young: Each nest of the 3-
spined stickleback yields approxi-
mately 100 young.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Lives in loose schools except
in the breeding season, when the
male is territorial.
Diet: Aquatic invertebrates; occa-
sionally waterweeds.
Lifespan: 3-spined species lives to
3 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 5 species of stickleback in
5 genera.
STICKLEBACKS' NESTS
Nine-spined stickleback: The male
makes a rounded nest from algae
and weeds in vegetation near the
riverbed or seabed. He binds the
materials together with a sticky
substance from his kidneys.
Female: Lays eggs, but male cares
for eggs and young when they hatch.
Three-spined stickleback: The male
makes a moundlike nest from weeds
in a hollow on the riverbed or seabed.

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Range of the three-spined stickleback.
DISTRIBUTION
The five stickleback species can be found in fresh and coastal
waters throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
CONSERVATION
All sticklebacks suffer from the pollution and draining of their
habitats. Although some species are restricted in their distribu-
tion, none are seriously threatened.
' - - _ ~ - = - ' : ' ___ Throat: Nine-
spined stickle-
back's throat
deepens from
brown to black
during breeding.
~ __________ ~ __ Belly: Three-
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
spined stickle-
back lures a
female to the
nest with his
' . bright red belly
and blue eyes.
0160200641 PACKET 64
Sticklebacks are some of the most familiar fish of the ~
~ BREEDING
Northern Hemisphere. They are able to live in fresh water Sticklebacks breed from late
as well as salt water, and some species occur in both
kinds of habitats. These adaptable fish can be found
in even the smallest ponds and ditches.
~ H A B I T A T
Sticklebacks can be found in a
wide range of watery habitats,
from ditches and the edges of
lakes to the sea. Only one spe-
cies, the fifteen-spined stickle-
back, is never found in fresh
water and spends its life at sea.
The most familiar species is
the three-spined stickleback. It
occurs in most of the Northern
Hemisphere, living in streams,
rock pools, and ditches. It usu-
ally stays near the shore, but it
is sometimes found at the sur-
face in the open sea.
Sticklebacks often live in loose
schools, except in the breeding
season, when males become
fiercely territorial. All sticklebacks
have spines that may provide
some protection from preda-
tors, but they still fall prey to
water shrews, otters, larger fish,
and certain water birds.
March to early August, when
food for the young is plentiful.
Some species migrate from the
sea to breeding grounds in riv-
ers and streams. Those that do
not migrate breed where they
spend the rest of the year.
In most species, the male
takes on bright coloring and
becomes very territorial during
breeding. He builds a nest on
the bottom or among water-
weeds and then entices fe-
males to enter this nest.
The females lay their eggs in
the nest, and the male fertilizes
them. He guards the eggs and
the young when they hatch,
tending them for a few weeks
until they are independent.
Above:
5tickleback eggs
three days after
fertilization.
Above right:
A young stickle-
back with its
yolk sac.
Right: A male
stickleback cares
for his week-old
young.
~ FOOD & FEEDING
Sticklebacks have a varied diet.
They feed primarily on small
aquatic animals such as insect
larvae, crustaceans, small mol-
lusks, and worms. They also eat
young fish and fish eggs, includ-
ing other sticklebacks' eggs.
Sticklebacks hunt at night,
watching for the movement of
prey. They need good light for
hunting and probably feed only
when the moon is bright.
When sticklebacks spot a
potential meal, they chase it if
necessary and seize it by sud-
denly pushing their jaws open.
The jaws are protractile (stretch-
ing out away from the mouth).
After the prey is sucked in, the
fish grabs it with small, needle-
sharp teeth.
When one stickleback finds
food, others rush to join it, be-
cause there may be more food
in the area.
left: A three-spined male tends
his nest of woven weeds.
Below: A male stimulates his
mate to lay eggs in the nest.
DID YOU KNOW?
Sticklebacks are caught
for uses other than food.
They are made into oil and
animal feed and may be
used as fertilizer.
Freshwater sticklebacks
are usually smooth, but
many sticklebacks living in
salt water have thin, bony
plates on their sides.
Sticklebacks can be pests.
In the Black Sea region of
Europe, the three-spined
stickleback eats the young
of fish that are caught for
human consumption. It
also competes with these
fish for food.
Sticklebacks that spend
time in both fresh and salt
water must deal with dif-
ferences in water salinity.
They do this by maintain-
ing a certain concentration
of salt in their body fluids
-a function carried out
by their gills and kidneys.
VIPERFISH
ORDER
Stomiiformes
FAMILY
Chauliodontidae
GENUS
Chauliodus
Viperfish live more than a thousand feet below the surface of the
ocean. These deadly predators are well adapted for hunting
other fish in the dark waters of the ocean depths.
KEY FACTS
SIZES
Length: Up to 1 ft.
BREEDING
The breeding habits of viperfish are
not known. They are thought to
produce large quantities of eggs
that hatch into larvae before be-
coming adults.
LlFESTLYE
Habit: Solitary, slow-swimming
predators, usually found at depths
of 1,300-2,600 ft.
Range of viperfish.
Diet: Various deep-water fish,
some of which may be as large
as viperfish.
DISTRIBUTION
RELATED SPECIES
The family Chauliodontidae con-
tains 6 species of viperfish in the
single genus Chauliodus. Sloane's
viperfish, C. s/oani, is the largest
viperfish. C. danae, C. minimus, and
C. pammelas are other members of
the same family.
Viperfish have been found in all temperate and tropical oceans.
Sloane's viperfish prefers the richer waters away from the rela-
tively barren midocean.
HOW VIPERFISH HUNT
CONSERVATION
Because they live in remote ocean depths and have no com-
mercial value, viperfish are probably safe from the influence
of humans.
Left: At rest,
the jaws of a
viperfish are
usually closed.
But they can
be opened
wide to swal-
low large prey.
Left: A viper-
fish has a light
at the tip of its
mobile dorsal
fin ray, which
it uses to at-
tract the atten-
tion of its fish
prey.
Fish are scarce in the ocean depths, but viperfish can
hunt and catch prey as large as themselves.
Below: This viperfish has caught
a large fish and forced it
halfway into its mouth. It
holds the fish with the teeth
in its palate to prevent es-
cape. The jaws are raised
upward, hinged on
the front part of
the backbone.
The viperfish
expands its
throat and
swallows the
fish quickly.
During this difficult process, the viper-
fish's gills are pulled downward and
backward and are exposed. Blood
circulation and breathing are impeded.
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A viperfish is a threatening-looking luminous creature
that has an expandable stomach/ huge jaws/ and
long/ sharp teeth. This typical predator of the ocean
depths is capable of trapping and engulfing almost
any animal it encounters in the deep/ dark seas. By
unhinging its jaws and expanding its throat/ a viperfish
can even swallow and kill prey as large as itself.
~ H A B I T A T
Light cannot penetrate ocean
waters below a certain depth.
The different colors of the spec-
trum that make up white sun-
light are filtered out at different
rates as they pass through the
dense salt water. Red light
waves are absorbed first, fol-
lowed by the oranges, yellows,
and greens until, at about 650
feet below the surface, only the
blue light remains.
The blue twilight gets dimmer
with increasing depth and fades
completely at about 3,000 feet
in the clearest water. Below this
depth, all is inky darkness.
Viperfish inhabit the blue twi-
light area. Fish are very scarce
at these depths because there
is little for them to feed on. All
life ultimately depends on the
plankton (tiny plants and ani- '
mals) that drift down from the
higher depths.
At night the plankton move
upward to feed on organisms
that live on the water surface.
They are followed by small
deep-water fish, such as bristle-
mouths, that prey on them.
These fish return to the ocean
depths at dawn, their stomachs
full of plankton, and are then
eaten in turn by larger preda-
tors like viperfish.
DID YOU KNOW?
A viperfish's eyes are be-
lieved to be up to 30 times
more sensitive to dim light
than a human's eyes.
More than 98 percent of
the energy that is fed to a
viperfish's luminous organs
is converted to light. A do-
mestic light blub converts
~ BREEDING
Although divers have observed
viperfish from deep-water sub-
mersible crafts, the breeding
behavior and other habits of
these fish remain a mystery. It
is likely that viperfish produce
large quantities of eggs that
hatch into tiny larvae before
developing into adults.
Left: A viperfish can use the "bait"
on the end of its dorsal fin ray to
lure fish.
Right: A viperfish's body is covered
with a thick, watery layer enclosed
by a thin skin.
only three percent of the
electrical energy into light.
If touched, a viperfish's
body is lit by pulses of light.
A viperfish's light organs
are modified glands. Sloane's
viperfish has over 1,500
compound light organs
on its body.
r r ~ ~ .
~ SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS
Most fish that live in the dimly
lit deep ocean waters have
luminous organs. A viperfish
has lights around its eyes, a
bright fin ray lure, and rows of
photophores (glowing organs)
along its flanks and belly that
give off a subdued blue glow.
~ FOOD & HUNTING
Viperfish hunt mainly by sight,
relying on their big eyes to
pick up the movements of fish
that swim through the deep-
sea gloom. Each eye has a
light-producing organ directly
beneath it that shines upward
into the eye, improving its sen-
sitivity to light. Other light or-
gans above and in front of the
eyes act as spotlights, shining
on the prey as the viperfish
moves in for the kill.
Active hunting is one way
to find prey. But in the ocean
Left: Viperfish sometimes catch
large prey but more often kill
small hatchetfish.
This light matches the glim-
mer of blue light that filters
down from the surface, so a
viperfish does not cast a shad-
ow on the water below. This
"camouflage" conceals it from
larger predators approaching
from the depths below.
depths, where food is scarce, a
viperfish makes use of anoth-
er method as well. The second
ray of its dorsal fin is very long,
with a bright lure on the tip.
A viperfish rests in the water
with the lure dangling in front
of its mouth to attract poten-
tial victims.
When a fish is caught in a
viperfish's mouth, there is no
escape. The stiletto-shaped
teeth of the upper jaw are
designed to stab prey and hold
it fast. A viperfish can open its
mouth wide and unhinge the
lower jaw from the body to
accommodate large prey.
TETRA
... CLASS
~ Osteichthyes
ORDER
Charociformes
FAMILY
Charocidae
GROUP 4: FISH
Tetras are small freshwater fish that feed in large schools, mainly
in the slow-flowing, silted rivers of Central and South America.
Some of these fish glow with iridescent color.
KEY FACTS
SIZE
Length: Mostly 1 ~ - 2 ~ in., but the
glass tetra grows to 8 in.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1-2 years.
Eggs: 100-300, laid in batches.
Hatching time: 1 -5 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Found in schools in midwater.
Diet: Varied. Eat small animals, in-
sects, carrion, and plant matter.
Lifespan: 3-4 years.
RELATED SPECIES
The 841 fish species in the family
Charocidae are found in Central and
South America and Africa. Relatives
include the flying hatchetfish of the
family Gasteropelecidae and the pi-
ranha, Serrosalmus nattereri. Also
related is the family Lebiasinidae,
which includes the tube-mouth
pencil fish.
Range of tetras.
DISTRIBUTION
Most tetra species are found in the rivers of Central and South
America, but a few species live in Africa.
CONSERVATION
Although tetras are popular aquarium fish, captive breeding
fulfills most of the demand and keeps collection from the wild
to a minimum in most cases. Tetras that are less easy to breed
in captivity are at greater risk.
BREEDING HABITS OF THE SPLASHING TETRA ~ ,
Leaps up to lay
her eggs on a
low leaf, where
they are safe
from predators.
The sticky eggs
adhere to the
leaf by surface
tension.
3. Male: Re-
mains near the
eggs, continually
leaping up to
splash them with
water and keep
them moist until
they hatch.
MCMXCII IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
2. Male: Leaps
up to shed
sperm on the
eggs, fertilizing
them. The male
may fertilize up
to 200 eggs in
this way.
4. Young: Hatch
after 3 days and
drop i.nto the wa-
ter. The male's
parental duties
are then over.
PRINTED IN U.S.A. 0160200561 PACKET 56
Tetras are small, tropical relatives of the carp that
were once classified in the genus Tetragonopterus.
Although scientists no longer use this genus name,
these freshwater fish are still popularly referred to
by an abbreviated version of this term-tetra.
Because of their vivid colors, tetras are popular
in aquariums, and they breed well in captivity.

Many tetras are so vividly col-
ored that it is hard to imagine
how they survive in the wild.
The cardinal tetra, for example,
has bright red flanks topped by
a broad streak of electric blue
that extends from head to tail.
The diamond tetra sparkles
with iridescent green and gold,
while the glowlight tetra ap-
pears to have a red-hot rod
running down its translucent
green body.
These dramatic colors have
a function. In the tropical riv-
ers and lakes where most tetras
are found, the waters may be
colored green by microscopic
plants, milky white by clay par-
ticles, or deep brown by the
peat formed from decompos-
ing forest leaves. Visibility is fre-
quently poor, and the tetras'
bright colors act as navigation
lights, enabling individuals to
stay in contact with each other.
Rather than exposing the fish
to danger, the glittering colors
may help protect them by
bringing them together and
providing safety in numbers.
Right: The neon tetra gets its name
from the luminous stripes that line
its sides.
FOOD &: FEEDING
Tetras live in loose schools
among plants in the middle
layer of still or slow-flowing
water. Although some tetra
species eat only plant matter,
most tetras are omnivorous
opportunists-eating anything
small and edible that does not
devour it first.
In the tropical rivers where
they live, tetras find a rich sup-
ply of food. In addition to plant
matter, they eat insect larvae
and worms from the river bot-
Left: In the wild the young black
tetra is social, but it becomes more
solitary with age.
tom and insects from the sur-
face. They even eat animals that
are caught in rising floodwaters.
Tetras' readiness to consume
almost anything can produce
problems with captive fish.
Many species kept in captivity
even devour their own eggs
and young. It is not known
whether this happens in the
wild, but the tendency is prob-
ably exaggerated in an aquari-
um, where there is often no
other food available.
Right: Because tetras have a very
wide food base, they rarely go
hungry.
Left: The
Congo tetra is
one of the few
species found in
Africa. Tetras
are of great
interest to biol-
ogists because
they adapt
readily to new
conditions and
habitats.
DID YOU KNOW?
The cave characin is a com-
pletely blind tetra that lives
in underground streams in
Mexico. It uses its senses of
smell and touch to find its
way around.
Wild tetras are hardly ever
caught for the pet trade be-
cause the popular species
breed well in captivity.
BREEDING
Some male tetras become very
animated during the breeding
season. A male black tetra, for
example, circles a female with
his fins spread out. He zigzags
in front and drives her in and
out of vegetation.
Most female tetras scatter their
eggs at random in batches of a
dozen. The transparent, slightly
sticky eggs cling to plants. After
laying several batches of eggs,
the female abandons them. The
male smothers the eggs with
sperm to fertilize them, and
they hatch in two or three days.
The hatchlings feed on micro-
The brilliant colors of many
tetras are "interference colors"
caused by refraction of light.
When the fish moves out of
the light, the colors blink off,
so the fish blends into its back-
ground. The bright reds of the
cardinal and neon tetras, on
the other hand, are caused
by pigment.
scopic water plants and animals.
The splashing tetra has more
unusual breeding habits. By
laying its eggs on plant leaves
hanging over the water, this
species may reduce the risk of
its eggs being eaten before
they hatch. The female leaps
out of the water and clings
briefly to the leaf while shed-
ding her eggs. The male fol-
lows suit to fertilize them. The
male then sprays the eggs with
water in order to keep them
damp. When the eggs hatch,
the young fish fall into the wa-
ter and swim away.
~ C A R D 37
REEF SHARK
\ ( ~ ___________________________________ G_R_O_U_P_4_:_F_IS_H __ ~
CLASS
~ Chondrichthyes
ORDER
Pleurotremata
FAMILY
Carcharhinidae
Moving stealthily through tropical coral reefs, reef sharks are highly
efficient killers. These creatures have little to fear except larger
predators of their own kind and the ever-present threat of humans.
KEY FACTS
SIZE
Length: Varies, from 5 ft. in the
black-tip reef shark to 16 ft. in the
tiger shark.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Active predators by day
and night.
Diet: Mainly fish, crustaceans,
cuttlefish, and octopuses.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: Approximately 2
years, depending on growth rate
and size.
Breeding season: Summer.
Gestation: 8-12 months, depend-
ing on species.
No. of young: About 14; fully
formed when born.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 17 genera and approx-
imately 60 species in the family
Carcharhinidae.
Range of reef sharks.
DISTRIBUTION
Reef sharks are found mainly on coral reefs in the tropics, but
some penetrate cooler, temperate waters in summer.
CONSERVATION
Sharks worldwide are threatened by sport fishing. They are also
threatened by the practice of tinning, in which the fins are cut
off for use as food, and the mutilated fish are then thrown back
into the water to die.
FEATURES OF THE BLACK-TIP REEF SHARK
Female
Dorsal fin: Has a black tip, which may
be used as a social recognition signal.
Claspers: Found in male only.
Two external sexual organs,
one of which is inserted into
the female during mating.
Scars: On fins and rear of female's
body. Caused by male bi ting female
to gri p her during mating.
MCMXCVI IMP BV/ IMP INC. WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A us P 6001 12 073 PACKET 73
Reef sharks belong to the family Carcharhinidae, which
contains approximately 60 species. Most of these species
inhabit coral reefs in tropical waters. They are able to
coexist by exploiting different types of prey on separate
parts of the coral reef. Reef sharks vary widely, from the
small, fish-eating black-tip shark to the huge, fearsome
tiger shark-which has been known to kill humans.
~ H A B I T A T
Reef sharks are usually found on
coral reefs and in nearby tropical
waters. A typical site is a shallow,
sandy lagoon with scattered cor-
al formations, bounded by an
area of built-up coral known as
a "reef flat." On the seaward
side, the reef flat falls away steep-
ly into deep waters, which are
linked to the lagoon by chan-
nels that form the reef sharks'
access routes.
Gray reef sharks generally fre-
quent the deep waters of the
outer reef slope, but they often
congregate in the channels and
use them to enter the lagoon.
The small black-tip reef shark
can swim in shallower water. It
hunts over the reef flat at high
tide, with its dorsal fin cutting
the surface. The slightly bigger
white-tip shark prefers deep gul-
lies and caves, while the large
silver-tip shark usually stays on
the outer reef slope. Largest of
all is the tiger shark, which slips
into the channels from the out-
er fringes to pick off large fish-
including other sharks.
~ FOOD & HUNTING
Reef sharks are opportunistic
feeders that eat just about any-
thing, from shellfish to sea lions.
The black-tip reef shark feeds
on crabs, lobsters, cuttlefish,
and small reef fish. It hunts pri-
marily at night in an area that
is familiar, ambushing its prey
among coral heads in the reef
shallows. Although the white-
tip reef shark also hunts at night
for similar prey, it forages in dif-
ferent waters, taking bottom-
dwelling fish and octopuses from
the reef's caves and crevices.
The larger, stronger gray reef
Left: Most reef sharks inhabit trop-
ical waters, but some species enter
temperate waters.
DID YOU KNOW?
Reef sharks are highly devel-
oped at birth. One infant bit a
scientist as he removed it from
the dying mother's womb.
Although reef sharks are
dangerous, they can be sur-
prisingly tame. Several have
been trained to take fish from
divers without biting them.
Although reef sharks are re-
shark hunts for bigger prey in
deep water by night and day.
The silver-tip hunts similar prey
at similar depths, which may
partly explain why the gray reef
shark is so aggressively territori-
al. The gray reef shark warns
intruders by twisting its body,
raising its snout, and dropping
its pectoral fins. It finally attacks
with slashing bites that are not
part of its normal feeding meth-
od. It can even drive off the 16-
foot tiger shark, which can kill a
gray reef shark and then swal-
low it whole.
Right: Reef sharks often feed in
groups and may participate in
"feeding frenzies. "
garded as voracious feeders,
they can actually go for days
without eating. The sharks
convert energy so efficiently
that they can get by on rela-
tively little food.
Reef sharks locate prey by
detecting tiny electrical signals
that are generated by their vic-
tim's nervous system.
Reef sharks breed in summer.
After following a female's scent
trail through water, the male
grips her body or fin with his
teeth, usually wounding her
despite her thick skin. He then
inserts one of two elongated
claspers (sexual organs) into
her cloaca (genital opening).
The clasper acts as a guide for
the sperm, which is passed into
a special sac within the female
Left: Reef sharks give birth to live
young that are perfect miniatures
of their parents.
Left: Small fish
called remoras
sometimes
"hitch a ride"
on reef sharks.
The remoras
use suckerlike
disks on their
heads to attach
themselves to
the reef sharks.
and stored for several months
before fertilizing her eggs the
following spring.
Like infant mammals, the
unborn sharks are connected
to the mother's bloodstream
by an umbilical cord and pla-
centa. This enables them to
absorb nutrients during the 8-
to 12-month gestation period.
Unlike other fish, whose off-
spring are born from eggs that
hatch in water, the female shark
gives birth to relatively few well-
formed, live young.
BUTTERFLY FISH
ORDER
Perciformes
FAMILY
Chaetodontidae
GROUP 4: FISH
GENERA
Chaetodon, Forcipiger, etc.
Butterfly fish are brightly colored relatives of angelfish. They live
in shallow tropical seas, where they feed on the small
animals that live in or near coral reefs.
KEY FACTS
______________________________________________________ -J
SIZE
Length: 2-8 in., depending on
the species.
BREEDING
Eggs: Laid in large batches. Young
are cared for by both parents until
independent.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Live in reefs. Swim in pairs
or small groups. Active mostly dur-
ing the day.
Diet: Mainly coral polyps. Also
small marine creatures such as
worms, sea slugs, and bottom-
dwelling shrimp.
Lifespan: Several years in captivity;
unknown in the wild.
RELATED SPECIES
Butterfly fish are so closely related
to angelfish that-until recently-
they were classed in the same fam-
ily. An angelfish has a spine on its
gill cover, which is lacking in a but-
terfly fish.
~ .
Range of butterfly fish.
DISTRIBUTION
Found in coral reefs bordering tropical seas and oceans, includ-
ing parts of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans; the Carib-
bean; the Arabian Sea; and the Bay of Bengal.
CONSERVATION
Like all reef animals, butterfly fish are threatened by pollution
and damage to coral reefs. Local populations of some species
may be affected by overcollection for the aquarium trade.
FEATURES OF BUTTERFLY FISH
Eyespot: A common marking in many
species. It mimics the fish's eye and
tricks a predator into attacking the
tail fin instead of the vulnerable head.
Mouth: Varies depending on the
species. Some have long, pipelike
jaws for plucking food from coral
crevices. Others have shorter, beak-
like jaws for grazing on coral polyps.
MCMXCIV IMP BV/ IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Spines: Very sharp, lining the
dorsal fin. They may deter a
predator from eating the fish.
long-nosed
butterfly fish,
Forcipiger
f/avissimus
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Color and pattern: Each species,
and possibly each individual ,
has its own special markings.
The stripes and spots conceal
the fish's body outline from
predators and help it recognize
other butterfly fish.
US P 6001 12067 PACKET 67
There are more than a hundred species of
butterfly fish in the world's warm oceans. Famous
for their vibrant colors, they are frequently displayed
in aquariums. With their deep, narrow bodies, these
fish look like butterflies at rest with closed wings. As
they dart from one coral branch to another, they
resemble butterflies flitting among flowers.
~ HABITAT
Butterfly fish live in coral reefs
in the sunlit, shallow seas near
the equator. The tropical reefs
offer shelter to sea anemones,
worms, sponges, shellfish, and
starfish. The surrounding wa-
ters are thick with plant and
animal plankton, providing
food for many species of fish.
These fish are in turn eaten by
Right: A but-
terfly fish is pro-
tected from
predators by
the pin-sharp
spines on its
dorsal fin and
by the speed
with which it
darts outof
danger.
larger predators such as bass
and groupers.
The vividness of butterfly fish
fits into the brilliantly colored
coral environment. These fish
have striking body patterns
that help break up their out-
lines and at the same time
serve as identification "flags"
to their mates.
~ BREEDING
In preparation for spawning, a
pair of butterfly fish cleans the
debris from a flat rock. The fe-
male then lays her eggs on the
cleaned rock, and the male im-
mediately swims over them,
producing clouds of sperm to
fertilize the eggs.
Both fish stay with the eggs
until they hatch in about four
to eight days. After hatching,
Left: The saddled butterfly fish
inhabits the coastal reefs of Aus-
tralia and Central America.
DID YOU KNOW?
A butterfly fish known as
the wimplefish is a "cleaner,"
nibbling parasites and dead
skin from other fish. Even a
dangerous predator stays still
to let this fish clean its body.
The four-eyed butterfly fish
fools predators with the eye-
like spots above its tail, which
make it hard to tell front from
the fry (young) sink to the sea-
bed, where both parents pro-
tect them until they can swim
and feed themselves.
The long, slim fry look very
different from their parents.
Each finds a shelter under a
rock or plant and protects the
surrounding area. In three or
four months, it develops into
the adult form.
Right: In many butterfly fish spe-
cies, an eyespot near the tail helps
confuse predators.
back. To increase the confu-
sion, the fish first swims slow-
ly backward and then darts
forward at high speed.
Some species, such as the
ornate butterfly fish, can ad-
just their body coloration at
night. This ability may allow a
breeding pair to identify each
other 24 hours a day. ----1
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
Butterfly fish graze on coral
polyps. They also eat small sea
creatures in the reef's crevices.
Some species, such as the sun-
burst butterfly fish, have short
jaws and flat, grinding teeth to
bite through the coral skeleton
and devour the coral polyps. In
contrast, the forceps fish has
long, beaklike jaws and very
sharp teeth. It bites off single
polyps or plucks small animals
from their hiding places.
Most adults feed alone or in
small groups. Each group has its
own feeding ground. To warn
other fish away, males flash their
colorful fins. Only the forceps
fish fights intruders, raking them
with its sharp dorsal spine.
". BUTTERFLY FISH
""lIIIIII &MAN
Butterfly fish are so popular in
aquariums that every known
species has a common name,
usually describing its appear-
ance. The sunburst, for exam-
ple, is colored orangish gold,
while the yellow long-nose has
very long jaws.
It is possible to nurture living
coral polyps in an aquarium to
provide captive butterfly fish
with their natural food. But
there is disagreement about
whether people should take
butterfly fish from their natural
habitat, where they may be vi-
tal to the coral reef food chain.
Left: 5addle markings and eye
stripes camouflage this butterfly
fish by breaking up its outline.
EUROPEAN MINNOW
ORDER
Cypriniformes
FAMILY
Cyprinidae
GENUS fit: SPECIES
Phoxinus phoxinus
The European minnow is a tiny relative of the carp. This
adaptable little fish can live in almost any fresh, clean water,
and it eats almost everything it can catch.
KEY FACTS
SIZE
Length: 3-4 in. Occasionally grows
up to 5 ~ in. The female is bigger
than the male.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1-2 years.
Spawning season: April to July.
No. of eggs: Up to 1,000.
Hatching: 5-1 0 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Sociable. Forms schools in
shallow, clear water.
Diet: Aquatic invertebrates such as
worms, insect larvae, and crusta-
ceans. Also flying insects and some
plant matter.
RELATED SPECIES
There are 2 closely related species
in northern Europe: the swamp
minnow and the Poznan minnow.
Other members of the large family
Cyprinidae include the goldfish,
Carassius auratus.
Range of the European minnow.
--------
DISTRIBUTION
The European minnow is found in most of Europe, and its
range extends across northern Asia to the Bering Sea. It is
not, however, found in Arctic regions.
CONSERVATION
Although still common in much of its range, the European
minnow suffers badly from the effects of pollution. It has dis-
appeared from many lowland rivers.
FEATURES OF THE EUROPEAN MINNOW
Coloration: Variable. Back and sides
are often deep olive green with a
metallic bronze sheen on the sides
blending into a pale yellow or
whitish belly.
Male: Becomes
flushed with red
during the
spawning sea-
son and de-
velops white
bumps on his
head.
Female: Characterized by a deep, fat
belly full of eggs during the spawning
season.
Senses: The
minnow picks
up vibrations
through lines
that run the
length of its
body.
Eggs: Small, pale yellow, and covered
with mucus. The female lays up to
1,000 eggs in small clumps on the
riverbed, where they stick to gravel ,
stones, or aquatic plants. The eggs
are fertilized by the male, and they
hatch after about a week.
c;
o
<0
a..
(J)
::J
The European minnow is an important link in the food
chain of lakes and rivers. This small fish consumes huge
quantities of a wide range of aquatic insects and other
small creatures. In turn it is preyed upon by a variety of
larger fish as well as birds. Occasionally the European
minnow is even eaten by swamp spiders as well as by
carnivorous insects such as the great diving beetle.

The European minnow is com-
mon in clean, fresh waters in
much of Europe and northern
Asia. It is most numerous in the
fast-flowing upper levels of riv-
ers. It also lives in lakes or ponds
if the water is not too muddy and
there is plenty to eat.
The European minnow is an
easy catch for various predatory
fish and fish-eating birds. Occa-
sionally it is also preyed upon by
carnivorous insects. Its main de-
fenses are its agility and instinc-
tive avoidance of the open-water
hunting areas of larger fish. Stay-
ing in shallower water, it takes
cover in plants near the banks.
In summer European min-
nows gather in schools of up to
a hundred to feed near the sur-
face. They often swim with oth-
er small fish, such as young dace,
bleak, and roach. Schools offer
safety in numbers, but in winter
they break up and each minnow
moves closer to the riverbed.
Relying on its dark, mottled col-
oring for camouflage, the min-
now swims close to the bottom.
It hides under stones when the
river swells with heavy rain and
powerful currents threaten to
sweep it away.
FOOD &: FEEDING
Like most fish that live in a vari-
ety of waters, the European min-
now is adaptable, eating almost
anything that it finds. Although
it may nibble on water plants
and eat algae growing on stones
or plant stems, it prefers to feed
on small animals.
The minnow preys mainly on
freshwater shrimps, worms, and
the aquatic larvae of insects like
the caddis fly, mayfly, and mos-
quito. But it attacks other small
creatures it comes across, even
left: The European minnow favors
clean, oxygen-rich waters, which
provide plenty of food.
DID YOU KNOW?
A European minnow alters
its coloring according to its
mood. When alarmed, it may
become almost colorless.
In medieval Europe, min-
nows were caught for food
and were so prized that they
were served at state banquets.
In some parts of Europe they
are still caught for food.
leaping from the water to seize
an insect from the air.
Like other members of the
carp family, the European min-
now has no teeth. Instead, it has
special nodules on the bones at
the back of its gill chamber. The
minnow uses them to grind its
food against a horny pad. Each
species within the family has a
different arrangement of these
"teeth." They are often the only
reliable way to distinguish be-
tween similar carp species.
Right: The European minnow has
a flexible pair of jaws that it thrusts
forward when feeding.
After an absence of many
years, minnows returned to
London's Thames River in the
1970s, showing that the water
had become cleaner.
The European minnow is a
favorite prey of the European
kingfisher. It is exposed to at-
tack from above because it
feeds near the surface.
I, NATUREWATCH
The European minnow can
be caught with a net in streams
and ponds. Its mottled dark
olive back makes it easy to
recognize, but there are some
color variations. A minnow
living in cloudy water is paler
and less strongly patterned
BREEDING
The European minnow is usually
a drab color with a dark green,
blotchy back and a silvery belly.
But in the breeding season the
male's belly becomes flushed
with red and he develops a rash
of hard, conical white bumps
on his head. At the same time
the female's belly swells with
eggs. The sexes mingle in a
large school before pairing and
spawning at the river bottom.
As the small mucus-covered
eggs are laid, they stick to the
left: An injured minnow releases
chemicals that warn the rest of
the school to scatter.
than one in a clear stream.
In summer minnows can
often be seen in large schools
near the surface in shallow
river waters. Because these
fish live only in clean water,
their presence indicates that
the river is not polluted.
rocks in clumps. The male fertil-
izes them, and they hatch in five
to ten days. The warmer the wa-
ter, the faster the eggs develop.
Each newly hatched fish stays
among the stones at first. It lives
off the contents of the yolk sac
attached to its stomach. When
that is gone, the minnow has to
find its own food. It eats tiny
microorganisms that float in the
water until it is big enough to
tackle insects and worms.
If conditions are right, the min-
now grows quickly enough to
breed within a year. But many
take two years to mature.
BLENNY
",CARD 40
GROUP 4: FISH " ~
" ~
ORDER
Perciformes
FAMILY
Blenniidae
GENERA
Various
There are hundreds of species of blennies. All of these species
are found in shallow coastal waters in the temperate and
tropical parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans.
KEY FACTS
SIZE
Length: Varies. Can measure up
to 12 in.
BREEDING
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Spawning: Varies depending on
the species.
No. of eggs: Varies depending on
the maturity of the fish.
Hatching period: Varies depending
on the species.
~ LIFESTYLE
Habit: Territorial. Individual guards
home range.
Diet: Barnacles, small crustaceans,
some algae and seaweed.
Lifespan: Up to 4 years.
RELATED SPECIES
There are more than 275 species in
the family Blenniidae.
FEATURES OF BlENNIES
MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM
Range of blennies.
DISTRIBUTION
Blennies are found in shallow water in tropical and temperate
parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans.
CONSERVATION
Blennies are not currently in danger. But because they live in
coastal waters, they are more susceptible to pollution than
open-sea fish.
Eggs: Female
lays batch in
debris or hole.
Male fans eggs
with fins to oxy-
genate them.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Coloration: Many blennies change
color for various reasons. De-
fense, aggression, submission,
breeding, and spawning can cause
color changes. Blennies also use
color changes for camouflage.
0160200591 PACKET 59
Blennies can be found in rock pools
around coastlines. They have many enemies
that prey on them when the rock pools are shallow
and exposed at low tide. As a result, these small fish
have developed a variety of tactics for defense.
~ HABITAT
Because they live in shallow wa-
ter, blennies must cope with the
tides and extremes of tempera-
ture. When exposed to the sun,
the water in a rock pool can be-
come very hot. In cold waters,
the temperature can drop to
freezing. Rain trapped in rock
pools can change the salt con-
tent of the water, and blennies
must make biological changes
to counteract the effects.
Blennies have many enemies
and several ways of coping with
them. Some species, such as the
shanny, change color in order to
camouflage themselves against
their background. Other species
hide in crevices or under rocks.
Still other species, such as the
tompot bien ny, hide in kelp
and seaweed.
~ BREEDING
Most North Atlantic blennies
spawn between April and Au-
gust. The male fertilizes the
eggs, which are rarely larger
than the head of a pin. The eggs
are usually laid under stones and
rocks but may sometimes be
hidden in discarded receptacles
such as bottles or cans.
After laying the eggs, the fe-
male abandons them. The male
guards the eggs and fans them
with his pectoral fins to make
sure they get enough oxygen.
The young fish, called f'Yt are
very vulnerable, and many are
eaten by predators.
The eel pout, which is related
to blennies, gives birth to be-
tween 20 and 300 live young,
depending on the female's size.
The eggs hatch inside the fe-
~ FOOD &: FEEDING
The majority of blennies are
territorial. They feed within a
certain area, which they guard
against other blennies. Some
blenny species have tiny teeth
and nibble the limbs of barna-
cles. Other species have pow-
left: The
viviparous
blenny gives
birth to already
hatched young.
Right: Many
species of blenny
can "haul out"
on the rocks.
Far right: The
jewel-like dia-
mond blenny
lurks in the wav-
ing tentacles of
an anemone.
male's body after about three
weeks, but it is four months be-
fore the young are born. As a
result of this delay, the newborn
fry are well developed and have
a better chance of surviving.
erful, curved teeth and attack
fish larger than themselves.
Blennies also eat tiny crabs,
bristleworms, and other small
shellfish, as well as seaweed. In
aquariums, they are fed worms
and small pieces of meat.
Above: The male sabre-toothed
blenny stays with the developing
eggs and guards them.
Above right: Yarrell's blenny is
one of many species that have the
branched tentacles shown here.
DID YOU KNOW?
Some blennies can leave
the water to rest on rocks or
escape from predators.
Blennies dig shelters under
rocks by wriggling their bod-
ies in the sand.
[- ,-] NATUREWATCH
Blennies move very quickly. If
you move a stone in a rock
pool, you may see a blenny
dart out to find another hid-
ing place. Blennies are very
wary of overhead shadows,
and they will quickly notice
A blenny's eyes move inde-
pendently of each other, so it
can see predators both in and
above the water.
Blennies of the genus Runu-
10 may bite swimmers.
your presence. Some blennies
are bold enough to venture
into open water.
If you can catch a blenny in
a glass jar, you will be able to
study it in detail. But be sure
to return the fish to its pool.