Page 44 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

44 ATLAS OF THE WORLD’S STRANGEST ANIMALS

Mudskipper

Down on the water’s edge, something strange is

stirring. Mudskippers are amphibious fish and spend
just as much time out of the water as they do in it.
At low tide, they even use their fins like feet to
propel themselves across the mud flats!

Key Facts ORDER Perciformes/ FAMILY Gobiidae /
GENUS & SPECIES Genus periophthalmus

Weight Average: 10g (0.3oz)
Length Up to 25cm (9.8in), depending
on species
Sexual maturity Average: 2 years
Breeding season Rainy season
Number of eggs 100–200

Incubation period 14–21 days
Breeding interval Yearly
Typical diet Algae or small vertebrates, depending
on species
Lifespan Up to 5 years in the wild

Pelvic fins
These remarkable fish use their
fins to ‘walk’ on land.They can
run and jump, and some can
even climb using their pelvic
fins,which are linked to create
a sucker-like appendage.

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.