Fishes and Other Cold-Blooded Vertebrates

Pronunciation Guide for Scientific Names

Getting to Know Fishes

Hagfishes: Myxini - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Hagfishes And People, Atlantic Hagfish (myxine Glutinosa): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

Hagfishes live in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Antarctic Oceans and in the Bering, Mediterranean, and Caribbean Seas. Most hagfishes live at the bottom of the ocean. Atlantic hagfishes live on soft, muddy bottoms, where they form burrows. Pacific hagfishes live on surfaces ranging from soft, muddy bottoms to boulders and sand, where they coil up and nestle among rocks. Hagfishes…

Lampreys: Cephalaspidomorphi - Physical Characteristics, Lampreys And People, Sea Lamprey (petromyzon Marinus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, CONSERVATION STATUS

SEA LAMPREY (Petromyzon marinus): SPECIES ACCOUNT Lampreys live in coastal waters on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean; the western part of the Mediterranean Sea; the western, southern, and eastern coasts of Australia; New Zealand; Tasmania; both coasts of South America; and the Great Lakes of North America. Lamprey larvae bury themselves in the sand or mud of rivers. In the early phase …

Sharks Chimaeras Skates and Rays: Chondrichthyes - Physical Characteristics, Chimaeras, Sharks, Skates, Rays, And People, Conservation Status, Spotted Ratfish (hydrolagus Colliei): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCT

SPOTTED RATFISH (Hydrolagus colliei): SPECIES ACCOUNTS TIGER SHARK (Galeocerdo cuvier): SPECIES ACCOUNTS WHITE SHARK (Carcharodon carcharias): SPECIES ACCOUNTS ATLANTIC MANTA (Manta birostris): SPECIES ACCOUNTS CLEARNOSE SKATE (Raja eglanteria): SPECIES ACCOUNTS Chimaeras, sharks, and skates and rays live all over the world except in the Antarctic region. Chimaeras usually live on muddy botto…

Coelacanths and Lungfishes: Sarcopterygii - Coelocanths, Lungfishes, And People, Coelacanth (latimeria Chalumnae): Species Accounts, South American Lungfish (lepidosiren Paradoxa): Species Accounts - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DI

COELACANTH (Latimeria chalumnae): SPECIES ACCOUNTS SOUTH AMERICAN LUNGFISH (Lepidosiren paradoxa): SPECIES ACCOUNTS Coelacanths (SEE-lah-kanths) and lungfishes have rounded, fleshy fins. They are closely related to four-footed land vertebrates (VER-teh-brehts), or animals with a backbone. Coelacanths live on both sides of the Indian Ocean. Lungfishes live in South America, Africa, and Austral…

Bichirs: Polypteriformes - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Bichir (polypterus Ornatipinnis): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, BICHIRS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

BICHIR (Polypterus ornatipinnis): SPECIES ACCOUNT Bichirs live in western and central tropical Africa. Some live in the Nile River. Bichirs do not live in rivers that drain into the Indian Ocean. Bichirs live in fast-moving and slow-moving rivers, floodplains, swamps, lakes, and pools. Because they are able to breathe air, bichirs can live in stagnant, or still, stale water. Bichirs are used …

Sturgeons and Paddlefishes: Acipenseriformes - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Sturgeons, Paddlefishes, And People, Conservation Status - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT

Sturgeons and paddlefishes live in the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Sturgeons and paddlefishes live in seas, rivers, and lakes. Some spend a large portion of their lives at sea but enter coastal rivers to spawn. Others live only in freshwater rivers and lakes. Sturgeons live on sand, gravel, or rock bottoms. …

Gars: Lepisosteiformes - Behavior And Reproduction, Gars And People, Spotted Gar (lepisosteus Oculatus): Species Account - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

SPOTTED GAR (Lepisosteus oculatus): SPECIES ACCOUNT Gars have a long snout, or bill, and a long, armored body. Gars live in the freshwaters of eastern North America, as far west as Montana in the United States; as far north as Montana and southern Quebec, Canada; and as far south as Central America and Cuba. Gars are primarily freshwater fishes, although some have been known to swim into salt…

Bowfins: Amiiformes - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, BOWFINS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Bowfins have a long, curved dorsal (DOOR-suhl) fin, the one that runs along the top of the body. These fishes are called living fossils (FAH-suhls) because they have existed in the same form for more than one hundred million years. The skeleton is made up of both bone and cartilage (KAR-teh-lej), or tough, bendable supporting tissue. The tail fin is short and rounded. Bowfins have a large bon…

Bony Tongues and Relatives: Osteoglossiformes - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Bony Tongues And Their Relatives And People, Freshwater Butterflyfish (pantodon Buchholzi): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, CONSERVATIO

FRESHWATER BUTTERFLYFISH (Pantodon buchholzi): SPECIES ACCOUNT Bony tongues and their relatives live in tropical Africa; India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam; South America; New Guinea and Australia; and North America. Many bony tongues and their relatives live near the surface of slow-moving rivers and lakes or ones that are stagnant, or still and stale. Some liv…

Ladyfishes and Tarpons: Elopiformes - Behavior And Reproduction, Ladyfishes, Tarpons, And People, Atlantic Tarpon (megalops Atlanticus): Species Account - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

ATLANTIC TARPON (Megalops atlanticus): SPECIES ACCOUNT Tarpons and ladyfishes are long, silver fishes with large upturned mouths, large eyes, and deeply forked tails. They have a long, bony plate between the lower jawbones. Tarpons and ladyfishes live all over the world. Tarpons and ladyfishes live in seas that are tropical, meaning that the average annual temperature is more than 68°F…

Bonefishes and Relatives: Albuliformes - Physical Characteristics, Bonefishes (albula Vulpes): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, BONEFISHES AND THEIR RELATIVES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

BONEFISHES (Albula vulpes): SPECIES ACCOUNT Bonefishes and their relatives live all over the world. Bonefishes live in shallow tropical waters, or waters with an average annual temperature more than 68°F (20°C). Halosaurs and spiny eels live at the bottom of the ocean in water that is 3,281–9843 feet (1,000–3,000 meters) deep. Bonefishes eat fishes and small invert…

Eels and Morays: Anguilliformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Eels, Morays, And People, American Eel (anguilla Rostrata): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

AMERICAN EEL (Anguilla rostrata): SPECIES ACCOUNTS GREEN MORAY (Gymnothorax funebris): SPECIES ACCOUNTS SLENDER GIANT MORAY (Strophidon sathete): SPECIES ACCOUNTS Eels and morays live all over the world. Eels and morays live in streams, lakes, estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), deep-sea waters, and coral reefs. Some spend most of their lives in freshwater and then move to the sea to spawn, or prod…

Swallowers and Gulpers: Saccopharyngiformes - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Gulper Eel (saccopharynx Ampullaceus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, GULPERS SWALLOWERS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

GULPER EEL (Saccopharynx ampullaceus): SPECIES ACCOUNTS Swallowers and gulpers live in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Swallowers and gulpers live in very deep, open water at depths greater than 3,281 feet (1,000 meters). Larvae (LAR-vee), a form of these fishes in the early stage of growth before becoming adults, and the young live in shallower waters. Because of the extreme depths…

Herrings: Clupeiformes - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Bay Anchovy (anchoa Mitchilli): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HERRINGS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

BAY ANCHOVY (Anchoa mitchilli): SPECIES ACCOUNT Herrings live all over the world. Herrings are some of the most economically important fishes in the world's oceans. They have been used throughout human history, primarily for food but also as a source of oil, plant fertilizer, and animal feed. Herring fishing was one of the earliest occupations of coastal peoples. The World Conservation…

Milkfish and Relatives: Gonorynchiformes - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, MILKFISH AND THEIR RELATIVES AND PEOPLE

MILKFISH (Chanos chanos): SPECIES ACCOUNT Milkfish are large, silver, and tapered at the ends. Of their relatives, sandfish are slender and ribbon shaped; African mudfish are tubular; and Kneria wittei, which has no common name, are tiny and minnow-like. The length of these fishes ranges from about three-fourths inch (1.8 centimeters) to 5 feet (1.5 meters). Milkfish and their relatives live …

Carps Minnows and Relatives: Cypriniformes - Behavior And Reproduction, Minnow, Carps, And Loaches And Their Relatives And People, Conservation Status - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET

STONEROLLER (Campostoma anomalum): SPECIES ACCOUNTS SILVER CARP (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix): SPECIES ACCOUNTS CLOWN LOACH (Botia macracanthus): SPECIES ACCOUNTS Minnows, carps, and loaches and their relatives have an upper jaw that can extend forward and a toothless mouth. The head is almost always scaleless. Some species have one to three rows of teeth in the throat with never more than ei…

Characins: Characiformes - Physical Characteristics, Giant Tigerfish (hydrocynus Goliath): Species Accounts, Red-bellied Piranha (pygocentrus Nattereri): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, CHARACINS AND PEOPLE,

GIANT TIGERFISH (Hydrocynus goliath): SPECIES ACCOUNTS RED-BELLIED PIRANHA (Pygocentrus nattereri): SPECIES ACCOUNTS RIVER HATCHETFISH (Gasteropelecus sternicla): SPECIES ACCOUNTS Characins live all over Central America, South America, and Africa. In North America they live only in Mexico and southern Texas. Characins inhabit all types of freshwater, including weedy river edges, still ponds, …

Catfishes: Siluriformes - Physical Characteristics, Catfishes And People, Conservation Status, Channel Catfish (ictalurus Punctatus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION

Catfishes live all over the world except Antarctica. Most catfishes live in freshwater. Some live in estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), or the area where a river meets the sea, and others go into even deeper ocean water. Most catfishes are bottom feeders and mainly eat invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), or animals without backbones. Some catfishes eat fish, and some feed on fallen leaves and trees…

South American Knifefishes and Electric Eels: Gymnotiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Electric Eel (electrophorus Electricus): Species Accounts, Glass Knifefish (eigenmannia Lineata): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABIT

South American knifefishes and electric eels live in South America and Central America. South American knifefishes and electric eels live in small streams, large rivers, lakes, and various types of backwaters. Many of these fishes live in deep, main-river channels. Some live in water with low oxygen content and gulp air at the water surface. Most of these fishes tolerate very warm water. Some…

Pikes and Mudminnows: Esociformes - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Muskellunge (esox Masquinongy): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, PIKES AND MUDMINNOWS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Pikes and mudminnows live all over the Northern Hemisphere except Greenland. All pikes eat fishes, including smaller fish of their own species. Larger pikes also may eat frogs, water birds, and small mammals. Mudminnows eat invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), or animals without a backbone, and, very rarely, young fish. Pikes are popular sport fishes. Mudminnows are used for bait in some areas.…

Galaxiids Smelts and Relatives: Osmeriformes - Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Ayu (plecoglossus Altivelis): Species Accounts, Australian Smelt (retropinna Semoni): Species Accounts - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DI

Smelts, galaxiids, and their relatives are pointed at the ends. Smelts are silvery. Galaxiids and the relatives have a silvery belly but otherwise are brownish or olive with stripes or spots of various colors. These fishes are 1 to 28 inches (2.5 to 71 centimeters) long. Some have very large eyes, and some have no teeth in the upper jaw. Most galaxiids are scaleless. Smelts, galaxiids, and th…

Salmons: Salmoniformes - Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Chinook Salmon (oncorhynchus Tshawytscha): Species Accounts, Atlantic Salmon (salmo Salar): Species Accounts - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, SALMONS AND

The salmon group includes salmons, trouts, whitefishes, and graylings. These fishes can be more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) long and weigh more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms). Salmons have streamlined bodies that are covered with small, smooth scales. Salmons have a small adipose (AE-dih-POS) fin between the dorsal (DOOR-suhl) fin, or the fin along the midline of the back, and the powerful tail …

Dragonfishes and Relatives: Stomiiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Dragonfishes, Their Relatives, And People, Viperfish (chauliodus Sloani): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

Dragonfishes and their relatives live all over the world except the Arctic Ocean. Dragonfishes and their relatives live in the open ocean at 660 to 3,300 feet (200 to 1,000 meters), but some live below 3,300 feet (1,000 meters). For their size, dragonfishes and their relatives are fierce predators (PREH-duh-terz) that hunt and kill for food. They feed on other fishes, shrimps, and squid, or t…

Lizardfishes and Relatives: Aulopiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Longnose Lancetfish (alepisaurus Ferox): Species Accounts, Tripodfish (bathypterois Quadrifilis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, THEIR REL

Lizardfishes and their relatives live in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Lizardfishes and their relatives live at the bottom or swim freely in open water. These fishes live at depths from warm, shallow water near the shore to water so deep that light is almost absent. The bottom-dwelling fishes rest on rubble, sand, coral, rock, seaweed, or mud. Lizardfishes and their relatives are …

Lanternfishes: Myctophiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Skinnycheek Lanternfish (benthosema Pterotum): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, LANTERNFISHES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Lanternfishes live all over the world except the Arctic Ocean. As adults most lanternfishes live in the middle depths of the open ocean, usually between 660 and 3,330 feet (200 and 1,000 meters). Some may enter the upper part of the deep-water region. Several lanternfishes are thought to live near, but not in contact with, the bottom at some point in life. Larval or young lanternfishes live n…

Opahs and Relatives: Lampridiformes - Behavior And Reproduction, Opahs, Their Relatives, And People, Oarfish (regalecus Glesne): Species Account - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

Opahs are almost round when viewed from the side, but their relatives are long and slender. Opahs and their relatives have red fins and brightly colored bodies. The jaw structure allows these fishes suddenly to open their mouths to forty times the closed size and use enormous suction to capture plankton, or microscopic plants and animals drifting in water. Opahs and their relatives live in al…

Beardfishes: Polymixiiformes - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, BEARDFISHES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Beardfishes have a pair of barbels (BAR-buhls), which are long, thin feelers on the chin, used for the senses of taste, touch, and smell, that look like a beard. The body is pointed at the ends. The dorsal (DOOR-suhl) and anal fins have well-developed spines. The dorsal fin is the fin along the midline of the back, and the anal (AY-nuhl) fin is the fin along the midline of the belly. Beardfis…

Troutperches and Relatives: Percopsiformes - Physical Characteristics, Conservation Status, Pirate Perch (aphredoderus Sayanus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, THEIR RELATIVES TROUTPERCHES AND PEOPLE

Troutperches and their relatives live in Alaska, Canada, and the eastern United States. Troutperches and their relatives live in freshwater. Some live in swamps, and some live in caves. Troutperches and their relatives are predators (PREH-duhters), or animals that hunt and kill other animals for food. They eat a variety of animals. Some eat members of their own species. All troutperches and t…

Cusk-Eels and Relatives: Ophidiiformes - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Pearlfish (carapus Bermudensis): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, THEIR RELATIVES CUSK-EELS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Cusk-eels and their relatives live all over the world. Most cusk-eels and their relatives look for bottom-dwelling animals during evening hours. They eat invertebrates and small bottom fishes. Cusk-eels are large; their meat is tasty, and they are fished commercially. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) lists seven species of cusk-eels and their relatives as Vulnerable, or facing high risk of…

Hakes Grenadiers Cods and Relatives: Gadiformes - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Grenadiers, Hakes, Cods, Their Relatives, And People - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

Grenadiers, hakes, cods, and their relatives live all over the world. Bottom-dwelling grenadiers, hakes, cods, and their relatives use their chin barbels to find bottom-dwelling prey, or animals hunted and killed for food. Open-water species eat krill, which are tiny crustaceans (krus-TAY-shuns). Crustaceans are water-dwelling animals that have jointed legs and a hard shell but no backbone. S…

Toadfishes: Batrachoidiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Oyster Toadfish (opsanus Tau): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, TOADFISHES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

OYSTER TOADFISH (Opsanus tau): SPECIES ACCOUNT Toadfishes live all over the world. Toadfishes live in saltwater from shoreline waters with a low salt content down to deep sea water, about 1,200 feet (366 meters). These fishes sometimes enter rivers. Their camouflage allows toadfishes to blend with the bottom, where they bury themselves and ambush their prey, or animals caught for food. One sp…

Anglerfishes: Lophiiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Sargassumfish (histrio Histrio): Species Accounts, Monkfish (lophius Americanus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, ANGLERFISHES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION S

Anglerfishes live all over the world. Most anglerfishes live in the deep ocean. Some live in open water in middle depths. Others are bottom dwellers. A few anglerfishes enter shallows, and many live in coral reefs. Anglerfishes eat fishes and other animals attracted by the lure. A few anglerfishes feed mainly on bottom-dwelling invertebrates, animals without backbones. Some anglerfishes are c…

Mullets: Mugiliformes - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Flathead Mullet (mugil Cephalus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, DIET, MULLETS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Mullets live all over the world. Young mullets eat plankton, which are microscopic plants and animals drifting in water. Larger mullets eat microscopic plants and animals from submerged surfaces and eat small invertebrates, or animals without backbones. Mullets are important food fishes. They are both caught and farmed. Mullets are not threatened or endangered. …

Rainbowfishes and Silversides: Atheriniformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Rainbowfishes, Silversides, And People, Conservation Status, California Grunion (leuresthes Tenuis): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET

Rainbowfishes and silversides live all over the world. Rainbowfishes and silversides live in coastal areas of seas; estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), areas where rivers meet the sea; reefs; lagoons, and the surf along beaches. Only a few species live in the open water. Freshwater species live in lakes and streams, rain-forest pools, spring-fed desert waterholes, and mountain lakes. Rainbowfishes …

Needlefishes and Relatives: Beloniformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, California Flyingfish (cheilopogon Pinnatibarbatus Californicus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, THEIR RELATIVES NEED

Needlefishes and their relatives live all over the world. Some needlefishes and their relatives live in the surface waters of the open ocean and in coastal habitats such as estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), the areas where rivers meet the sea. The freshwater species live in lakes and rivers. Needlefishes and their relatives eat small fishes, animal plankton, water and land insects, algae, sea gra…

Killifishes and Live-Bearers: Cyprinodontiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Largescale Foureyes (anableps Anableps): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, KILLIFISHES AND LIVE-BEARERS AND PEOP

Killifishes live all over the world. Live-bearers live in North, Central, and South America. Killifishes and live-bearers live in heavily planted streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, desert springs, salt marshes, estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez) or areas where a river meets the sea, and coastal waters. Some live in temporary bodies of water such as puddles and ditches. Killifishes and live-bear…

Whalefishes and Relatives: Stephanoberyciformes - Physical Characteristics, Hairyfish (mirapinna Esau): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, WHALEFISHES AND THEIR RELATIVES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Whalefishes and their relatives live all over the world. Whalefishes and their relatives live in open water down to about 13,100 feet (4,000 meters). Some species travel close to the surface. Little is known about the diet of whalefishes and their relatives. Tiny crustaceans (krus-TAY-shuns) have been found in the stomachs of a few fish. Crustaceans are water-dwelling animals that have jointe…

Flashlightfishes Roughies and Squirrelfishes: Beryciformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Splitfin Flashlightfish (anomalops Katoptron): Species Accounts, Blackbar Soldierfish (myripristis Jacobus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RA

Roughies, flashlightfishes, and squirrelfishes live all over the world. Squirrelfishes live in shallow, tropical reefs. Roughies live in dark ocean waters 1 mile (1,600 meters) deep. The fishes that live in shallow waters usually hide under a coral overhang, in a cave, or under another structure during the day. Roughies, flashlightfishes, and squirrelfishes eat small fish and various inverteb…

Dories: Zeiformes - Behavior And Reproduction, Red Boarfish (antigonia Rubescens): Species Account - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, DORIES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Dories are oval to disk shaped and very thin when viewed from the front. The size ranges from 4 inches (10 centimeters) for the dwarf dory to 3 feet (91 centimeters), 12 pounds (5.4 kg) for the South African Cape dory. Most dories are silver, bronze, brown, or red. Dories can change color in seconds from silver to dark brown or gray. Dories live on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and its con…

Seahorses Sticklebacks and Relatives: Gasterosteiformes - Habitat, Behavior And Reproduction, Sticklebacks, Seahorses, And Their Relatives And People, Threespine Stickleback (gasterosteus Aculeatus): Species Accounts - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC

Most sticklebacks, seahorses, and their relatives have a long snout. The mouth usually is very small and has no teeth. These fishes have enlarged protective plates on their bodies. Seahorses and their relatives have extreme camouflage coloring. Many species can change color at will. Most pipefishes and seahorses have no tail fin. Many have a grasping tail like that of a monkey. Sticklebacks, …

Swamp and Spiny Eels: Synbranchiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Marbled Swamp Eel (synbranchus Marmoratus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, SWAMP AND SPINY EELS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Swamp and spiny eels are native to Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, and North America only as far north as Mexico. They have been introduced in Florida, Georgia, and Hawaii in the United States. Swamp and spiny eels live in swamps, caves, and sluggish freshwater and in water with a low salt content. They live in leaf litter and mats of fine tree roots along the banks. Swamp eels can mo…

Flatheads Gurnards Scorpionfishes and Relatives: Scorpaeniformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Oriental Helmet Gurnard (dactyloptena Orientalis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, FLATHEADS G

Gurnards, flatheads, scorpionfishes, greenlings, and sculpins live in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Most gurnards, flatheads, scorpionfishes, greenlings, and sculpins live near the shore, but some live in deep water. Some of these fishes live in mud or sandy bottoms. Others live in rocky habitats and coral reefs. Gurnards, flatheads, scorpionfishes, greenlings, and sculpins eat cr…

Basses Perches and Relatives: Perciformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Perciformes And People, Conservation Status - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET

Fishes in Perciformes live all over the world from just below the Arctic Circle to Antarctica. Fishes in Perciformes live in freshwater or saltwater. Some live near the shore; others live far out at sea. Some live in open water; others are bottom dwellers over sand, mud, or rocks. Some live on rock or coral reefs, and some live among plants such as sea grass. Some Perciformes fishes live in s…

Darters Perches and Relatives: Percoidei - Physical Characteristics, Conservation Status, Largemouth Bass (micropterus Salmoides): Species Accounts, Common Dolphinfish (coryphaena Hippurus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND

Fishes in Percoidei live all over the world except for polar waters. Fishes in Percoidei live in freshwater or saltwater. The freshwater fishes live in lakes, ponds, ditches, swamps, and fast- and slow-moving streams. Saltwater fishes live near the shore or out at sea. Some fishes in Percoidei eat algae, plants, animal plankton, invertebrates, which are animals without backbones, and fish. Al…

Surfperches Cichlids and Relatives: Labroidei - Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Cichlids, Surfperches, Their Relatives, And People, Conservation Status - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT

Cichlids (SIH-cluhds), surfperches, damselfishes, wrasses, parrotfishes, and rock whitings have a second set of jaws in the throat. These fishes have a dorsal fin that extends the length of the fish's back. The dorsal (DOOR-suhl) fin is the one along the midline of the back. Cichlids live in South America, Africa, Asia, and North America. Surfperches live in coastal areas of the northe…

Eelpouts and Relatives: Zoarcoidei - Behavior And Reproduction, Wolf-eel (anarrhichthys Ocellatus): Species Accounts, Ocean Pout (zoarces Americanus): Species Accounts - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, THEIR RELATIVES EELPOUTS A

Most eelpouts and their relatives are shaped like eels. They usually are less than 16 inches (40 centimeters) long, but some reach a length of 24 inches (60 centimeters). The wolf-eel is the largest fish in this group, reaching a length of 80 inches (2 meters). Eelpouts are usually gray, brown, black, or purple and have spots of various colors. Eelpouts and their relatives live all over the w…

Southern Cod-Icefishes: Notothenioidei - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Emerald Notothen (trematomus Bernacchii): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, SOUTHERN COD-ICEFISHES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

All but one species of southern cod-icefishes live just north of Antarctica. One species lives in Antarctica. Southern cod-icefishes live in streams and estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), the areas where rivers meet the sea. Most live on or near the bottom, but some live in open water. Some southern cod-icefishes eat anything that comes their way. Others ambush small crustaceans and mollusks. Crus…

Weeverfishes and Relatives: Trachinoidei - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Inshore Sand Lance (ammodytes Americanus): Species Accounts, Northern Stargazer (astroscopus Guttatus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, WEE

Weeverfishes and their relatives live in the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. One species lives only in New Zealand. Most weeverfishes and their relatives live in the sea close to shore and in estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), or the areas where rivers meet the sea, on sandy to muddy bottoms. Some live in burrows under coral. Others live in the deep ocean. Some hug the bottom of fast…

Blennies: Blennioidei - Behavior And Reproduction, Striped Poison-fang Blenny (meiacanthus Grammistes): Species Accounts, Miracle Triplefin (enneapterygius Mirabilis): Species Accounts - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BLENNIES

Blennies have a variety of body types from short and stout and covered in scales to long and blunt-headed and entirely lacking scales. Most have short fringe on their heads, and some have large spines on their heads. The color ranges from drab, mottled brown and tan to brilliant red, yellow, and blue. Blennies are small, usually less than 4 inches (10 centimeters) long. Blennies live all over…

Ragfish: Icosteoidei - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, RAGFISH AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Young ragfish have limp bodies. The body is broad from back to belly and narrow from side to side. It is smooth-skinned and scaleless, except along the lateral line, where the scales have small spines. The lateral (LAT-uhr-uhl) line is a series of pores and tiny tubes along each side of a fish's body and is used for sensing vibrations. The snout is blunt and looks like that of a calf. …

Clingfishes and Singleslits: Gobiesocoidei - Physical Characteristics, Habitat, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Sonora Clingfish (tomicodon Humeralis): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, CLINGFISHES AND SINGLESLITS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Clingfishes live in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Singleslits live off the southern coast of Australia. Some clingfishes and singleslits are collected for aquariums. Clingfishes and singleslits are not threatened or endangered. …

Dragonets and Relatives: Callionymoidei - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Lancer Dragonet (paradiplogrammus Bairdi): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, THEIR RELATIVES DRAGONETS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

Dragonets and their relatives live in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Most dragonets live on coral, rubble, sand, mud, and other soft bottoms. Some live among algae-covered rocks or mangrove roots in water with a low salt content. Little is known about the habitats of draconetts. They probably live in rubble and sand or among rocks. Algae (AL-jee) are plantlike growths that live in …

Gobies: Gobioidei - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Fire Goby (nemateleotris Magnifica): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, GOBIES AND PEOPLE

Gobies live all over the world except the polar regions. Most gobies live near the coast and in estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), or the areas where rivers meet the sea. About half of known species live in coral reefs. Some gobies live in caves, and some live in rivers and streams. In some areas gobies are eaten by the local people. They also are used in aquariums. …

Surgeonfishes and Relatives: Acanthuroidei - Behavior And Reproduction, Surgeonfishes And Their Relatives And People, Lined Surgeonfish (acanthurus Lineatus): Species Accounts - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATU

Surgeonfishes and their relatives have small to medium-sized bodies that are narrow from side to side and may be disk-like, oval, or slightly long. Many of these fishes have sharp venomous spines or ridges. Many of these fishes are very colorful. Surgeonfishes and their relatives live in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Most surgeonfishes and their relatives live in shallow coral and…

Tunas Barracudas Marlins and Relatives: Scombroidei - Barracudas, Tunas, Marlins, Their Relatives, And People, Blue Marlin (makaira Nigricans): Species Accounts - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, CONSER

Barracudas, tunas, marlins, and their relatives have streamlined bodies. They are medium-sized (about 2 feet or 61 centimeters) to huge (16 feet or 5 meters) and are extremely fast swimmers. Some can leap high out of the water. Some of these fishes have nets of tiny blood vessels in their bodies that help them keep cool during their intense physical efforts. Barracudas, tunas, marlins, and th…

Butterfishes and Relatives: Stromateoidei - Physical Characteristics, Butterfishes And Their Relatives And People, Butterfish (peprilus Triacanthus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, CONSERVATION STATUS

Butterfishes and their relatives live in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Butterfishes and their relatives live in the ocean well offshore, close to the shore, or in large bays. Adults live in deeper waters, either on the bottom or in open water in middle depths. The young usually live near the surface, sometimes among jellyfishes. Butterfishes and their relatives mostly eat inverteb…

Labyrinth Fishes: Anabantoidei - Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Climbing Perch (anabas Testudineus): Species Accounts, Siamese Fighting Fish (betta Splendens): Species Accounts - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET,

Labyrinth fishes are about 1 to 24 inches (2.5 to 60 centimeters) long and have a special air-breathing organ called the labyrinth (LAB-uh-rinth). Most species have a space in their head bones that sharpens their hearing. The swim bladder, an internal sac that fishes use to control their position in the water, branches into two long pouches. Many species are beautifully colored. Labyrinth fis…

Snakeheads: Channoidei - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Snakeheads And People, Striped Snakehead (channa Striata): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

Snakeheads are native to Asia and Africa and have been introduced in the United States, Russia, and the islands of the South Pacific. Most snakeheads live in still or slow-running waters, usually hiding under plants, rocks, and sunken trees. Some large species live in large rivers, swamps, ponds, and reservoirs. Most small species live in mountain streams. Many snakeheads can live in polluted…

Flatfishes: Pleuronectiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Peacock Flounder (bothus Lunatus): Species Accounts, Pacific Halibut (hippoglossus Stenolepis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, FLATFISHES AND PEOPLE,

Flatfishes live all over the world. Most flatfishes live in coastal waters over sand and mud bottoms. Flatfishes eat invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), or animals without backbones, and fishes. Flatfishes are important food fishes. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) lists one species of flatfishes as Endangered and one as Vulnerable. Endangered means facing a very high risk of extinction in …

Triggerfishes Pufferfishes and Relatives: Tetraodontiformes - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Clown Triggerfish (balistoides Conspicillum): Species Accounts, White-spotted Puffer (arothron Hispidus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANG

Pufferfishes, triggerfishes, and their relatives live all over the world. Most pufferfishes, triggerfishes, and their relatives live in the sea, but at least twenty species live in freshwater. Some of these fishes are bottom dwellers in deep and others in shallow water. Some of these fishes live in open water, and others enter estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), or the areas where rivers meet the s…