Page 33 - Fish and Amphibians (Britannica Illustrated Science Library)

28 LIFE IN THE WATER FISH AND AMPHIBIANS 29

Assortment of Shapes

ost fish have a typical streamlined shape, as exemplified by salmon or trout.
Other species have developed widely varying characteristics as adaptations to
M their environment or diet. The longnose hawkfish has a pronounced proboscis for
eating invertebrates on the seabed. The stiff, slender body of the longhorn cowfish causes
CLOWN KNIFEFISH
it to swim slowly and clumsily. And the clown knifefish has a Chitala chitala
flattened, knifelike body that enables it to move CLOWN CORIS
The name knifefish comes Coris aygula
more easily through the water. from its flattened shape. It
inhabits the waters of This tropical fish of the
southern Asia and swims Indo-Pacific region is
mainly with its anal fin. white in front with
black spots, which are
more densely scattered
near the head and
FIRE GOBY disappear completely
Nemateleotris magnifica before the tail is
reached.
In the Indian and Pacific oceans this
fish swims among coral reefs in search
of food. Its other name, fire dartfish, ANGELFISH
comes from its pronounced Pterophyllum scalare
upright dorsal fin. This
small fish is barely the Inhabiting South American
rivers in the central Amazon
size of a finger.
system and its tributaries as
far as eastern Peru and
Ecuador, this fish has faint
stripes across its body.

PRICKLY LEATHERJACKET
Chaetodermis penicilligerus
Inhabiting coral reefs in the
tropical waters of the Indian and
Pacific oceans, Australia, and
northern Japan, this fish can be
up to 12 inches (30 cm) long.
LONGNOSE HAWKFISH
Oxycirrhites typus
LONGHORN COWFISH Inhabiting coral reef zones in the
Lactoria cornuta Indian and Pacific oceans, this
fish is marked by brown stripes
inhabits the Pacific Ocean that form a grid. It uses its long
SEAWEED PIPEFISH and the Red Sea. Its rigid nose to trap prey.
Syngnathus schlegeli skeleton makes it a clumsy
swimmer in spite of its
beautiful silhouette. It has
two horns on the upper
part of its head.

SPOTTED SCORPION FISH
Scorpaena plumieri
RED HANDFISH
Brachionichthys politus The most poisonous of all sea
creatures, this fish eats small
Limited to coastal habitats
fish and mollusks. Its body is
of Australia, this inoffensive specially designed to mimic
fish has an average size of 6 the seafloor.
inches (15 cm).