|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
Yes, but not directly into the lungs as mammals do (except for some tropical fish). (Actually they breathe oxygen not air.) As water passes over a system of extremely fine gill membranes, fish absorb the water's oxygen content. Gills contain a network of fine blood vessels (capillaries) that take up the oxygen and diffuse it through the membranes.
Primarily by contracting bands of muscles in sequence on alternate sides of the body so that the tail is whipped very rapidly from side to side in a sculling motion. Vertical fins are used mainly for stabilization. Paired pectoral and pelvic fins are used primarily for stability when a fish hovers, but sometimes may be used to aid rapid forward motion.
Tuna Tunas and tuna-like fish, billfish, and certain sharks are the speed champions, reaching 50 miles per hour in short bursts. Sustained swimming speeds generally range from about 5 to 10 miles per hour among strong swimmers.
|
|
Not many fish can swim backwards. Those that can are mostly members of one of the eel families. |
Most do. The sea horse is among the exceptions. Another is the shrimp fish of the Indian Ocean, which congregates in schools of several individuals and swims vertically, its long tube-like snout pointing directly upward. A catfish indigenous to the Nile and other African rivers also swims in the vertical posture. Many kinds of midwater deepsea fishes swim or rest vertically.
Not in the human manner. Carnivorous fish like sharks use their sharp teeth to seize and hold prey while swallowing it whole or in large pieces. Bottom dwellers such as rays are equipped with large flat teeth that crush the shellfish they consume. Herbivorous fish (grazers) often lack jaw teeth, but have tooth-like grinding mills in their throats, called pharyngeal teeth. Fish would suffocate if they tried to chew, for chewing would interfere with the passage of water over the gills, necessary for obtaining oxygen.
Most fish are colorblind, despite the opinion of many sportfishermen. Fish can see color shadings, reflected light, shape, and movement, which probably accounts for the acceptance or rejection of artificial lures used by fishermen.
Most kinds encountered by anglers are. The organs of some species are always poisonous to man; other fish can become toxic because of elements in their diets. The latter are most often from tropical regions of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Scientific literature has pinpointed danger areas in which the disease called "ciguatera" (a disease dangerous to man) may occur in tropical and subtropical fish.
For most species, truly fresh fish is almost odorless. Fish begin to smell "fishy" when deterioration sets in, often caused by incorrect storage practices that bring about the release of oxidized fats and acids through bacterial and enzymatic action.
Most fish are colourblind, despite the opinion of many fishermen. Fish can see colour shadings, reflected light, shape, and movement, which probably accounts for the acceptance or rejection of artificial lures used by fishermen.
Are all fish edible?
Most kinds encountered by anglers are. The organs of some species are always poisonous to man; other fish can become toxic because of elements in their diets. The latter are most often from tropical regions of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Scientific literature has pinpointed danger areas in which the disease called "ciguatera" (a disease dangerous to man) may occur in tropical and subtropical fish.
They cannot, without personal knowledge of the types of fish which are at times poisonous. Frequently local customs can be relied upon. A comprehensive three-volume publication on the subject is entitled "Dangerous Marine Animals" by Dr. Bruce Halstead.
Very little in most. More than 240 species contain so little salt that doctors recommend them in salt-free diets. Shark meat is salty - as salty as the sea the shark lives in.
All puffer-like fish inflate by pumping water into special sacs when in their natural environment. Out of water, a puffer fills the sacs with air instead, and takes on a balloon-like appearance.
Many are named after animals including - alligator, bird, boar, buffalo, cat, cow, dog, elephant, frog, goat, goose, hawk, horse, eagle, leopard, lizard, parrot, porcupine, rabbit, sheep, pig, squirrel, hog, tiger, toad, unicorn, viper, wolf, scorpion, zebra, robin, raven.
The average discharge is more than 350 volts, but discharges as high as 650 volts have been measured. Voltage increase until the eel is about three feet long, after which only amperage increases. Some South American eels measure 10 feet in length.
Moray eels belong to a family of fish which differs from the common eels by their lack of side fins, their well-developed teeth, and their lack of scales. Common eels have embedded scales, but these are not readily noticeable. Morays occur in tropical and subtropical seas of the world. In the United States. they are usually found in quantity only in Florida waters, although they have been seen as far north as North Carolina and even New Jersey.
Little is known of their breeding habits except that the young pass through a stage which is very thin, ribbonlike, and transparent. Morays feed largely on other fish caught as they work their way through coral reefs. Some morays are equipped with teeth in the back of the mouth for crushing hard-shelled animals such as clams and oysters. Morays are occasionally caught on hook and
Morays are occasionally caught on hook and line by fishermen, sometimes are captured by trawlers that drag nets over the bottom. People in some parts of the world value the moray as food. Some Pacific morays measure as long as 10 feet and are considered dangerous to man when aggressions are aroused, generally by divers' actions. Several records exist of attacks on humans by wounded morays.
In life the blue shark displays a brilliant blue color on the upper portion of its body and is normally snowy white beneath. The blue quickly fades to dull grey after the shark is killed. The mako and porbeagle sharks also exhibit a blue coloration, but it is not nearly as brilliant as that of a blue shark. In life most sharks are brown, olive, or grayish
Considerable research has been devoted to finding out what stimuli attract sharks and incite them to attack. Results are mostly inconclusive, but some general principles have been advanced: Certain types of irregular sounds - like those made by a swimmer in trouble or a damaged fish - seem to attract sharks from great distances. Sound, rather than sight or smell, seems to be a shark's primary cue for moving into an area. Some scientific experiments indicate that sharks can distinguish light colors from dark, and that they may even be able to distinguish colors.
Yellow, white, and silver seem to attract sharks. Many divers maintain that clothing, fins, and tanks should be painted in dull colors to avoid shark attacks.
Though blood itself may not attract sharks, its presence in combination with other unusual factors will excite the animals and make them more prone to attack. The most dangerous species in order of documented attack records are: the great white shark, bull shark, tiger shark, grey nurse shark, lemon shark, blue shark, sand tiger, several species of hammerheads, and the mako. Some species such as the nurse shark are extremely sluggish and have poorly developed teeth, but even these have been known to attack man when excited or disturbed.
What sea creatures other than sharks may be dangerous to swimmers?
The barracuda (though divers claim its ferocious reputation is undeserved), moray eels, octopuses, and sharp-spined sea urchins can be dangerous to swimmers. The Portuguese man-of-war has tentacles up to 50 feet long with specialized cells that produce painful stings and welts on contact by swimmers. Sting rays, toadfish, catfish, and jellyfish can inflict damage on swimmers and waders.
Almost always. Some straying has been documented, but it is minor. Most spawning salmon return to the precise stream of their birth, sometimes overcoming great distances and hazardous river conditions to reach home
Generally from 2,500 to 7,000 depending on species and size of fish. The chinook salmon generally produces the most and largest eggs.
You use a hook, or angle, to catch fish (as opposed to a net or your hands).
If fishes caught with artificial lures such as flies are handled carefully, most will survive. Apparently, many factors influence survival after release. If the fish was already stressed before being caught, for instance because of spawning or high water temperatures, it is less likely to survive. If the fish is "played" for a long time and is exhausted before release, it is probably less likely to survive. If the fish is hooked through a sensitive area such as the gills or the eye, or is hooked deeply in the throat (which seems more likely when using bait), it is less likely to survive. If the fish is handled roughly, for example squeezed strongly or held out of water too long, it is also less likely to survive. If a fish seems to be having difficulty after unhooking, cradle it gently in the water until it regains its equilibrium and swims off under its own power.
Yes this is called of reflex amputation (autotomy). They can discard a limb, this can be a lifesaving phenomenon. Lobsters have the ability to regenerate some of their body parts, for example, the claws, walking legs, and antennae. the fact that lobsters are capable of limb loss and regeneration is indicative of a very primitive nervous system and their differential sensitivity to pain compared to humans or other types of animals (they can "drop" a claw, etc. and go off like nothing happened. Could you drop an arm or leg like that?).
The teeth of a lobster are in its stomach. The stomach is located a very short distance from the mouth, and the food is actually chewed in the stomach between three grinding surfaces that look like molar surfaces, called the "gastric mill".
The Kemps ridley turtle is the rarest of all sea turtles. It weighs between 80-100 pounds and the mature adult is an olive green color. They nest in large numbers known as "arribadas." The ridleys have declined significantly in recent years due mainly to predation and poaching and the fact that their nesting areas have dwindled to a single beach near Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. In 1947, 40,000 ridleys nested and in 1981 the number was reduced to less than 500. Ridley turtles dwell in the waters of the North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. On rare occasions, ocean currents have swept ridleys as far as Europe.
Sharks do not have bones. Sharks are made up of cartilage, and are called Elasmobranchs, which translates into fish made of catilaginous tissues. Why it has been so hard for scientists and shark researches to study sharks of the past, is because of the material they are made of. Cartilige does not fossilize, and therefore the only clue as to sharks from the past are teeth.
Yes it is true that sharks do in fact have very good eyesight. In fact, sharks can see extremely well in dark lighted areas, have fantastic night vision, and can see colours. Avoid wearing bright colours in the water, such as oranges and yellows, as sharks can indeed see them.
It has been observed that sharks can go up to approximately 6 weeks without feeding, and the record for a shark fasting was observed with the Swell Shark, in which it did not eat for 15 months. Sharks can enter what is called an "eating phase" in which, yes, perhaps the shark might constitute hunger, but on the grand scale of things, no a shark does not get hungry.
Sharks are fish. They live in water, and use their gills to filter oxygen from the water. Sharks are a special type of fish known because their body is made out of cartilage instead of bones like other fish. The name, or classification of this type of fish is called "Elasmobranchs." This category also includes Rays, Sawfish, and Skates"
Sharks are omnivorous, which means they eat both meat and vegetation. Sharks will eat anything, and if there is not an abundant supply of meat in the area, they will resort to eating sea vegetation. The largest shark of them all, the Whale Shark is mainly a plankton feeder.
Sharks have 8 unique senses. They are hearing, smell, lateral line, pit organs, vision, Lorenzini, touch, and taste. The shark shares many sense that humans do such as taste and smell, but it has three senses that we do not have. The lateral line, pit organs and Lorenzini are senses that have been discovered over the past 10 to 20 years, and play an important role in how the shark functions when swimming around.
