Table of Contents 39. Common Carp 40. Grass Carp 41. Bighead Carp 42. Black Carp 43. Mud Carp 44. Black Crappie 45. White Crappie 46. Green Sunfish 47. Bluegill 48. Northern Pike 49. Redbreast Sunfish 50. Blue Tilapia 51. Atlantic Pygmy Octopus 52. Greater Blue Ringer Octopus 53. Mimic Octopus 54. Common Octopus 55. Giant Clam 56. Small Giant Clam 57. Queen Conch 58. Florida Horse Conch 59. Purple Sunstar 60. Rose Sea Star 61. Cushion Sea Star 62. Sand Star 63. Black Sea Urchin 64. Sea Apple 65. Giant Squid 66. Chinese Mystery Snail 67. Red-rimmed Melania 68. Giant Ramshorn Snail 69. Great Pond Snail 70. Crawfish 71. Rhino Shrimp 72. Freshwater Pearl Mussels 73. Faucet Snail 74. Grass Shrimp 75. Freshwater Jellyfish
1. Whale Shark 2. Tiger Shark 3. Great Hammerhead Shark 4. Great White Shark 5. Goblin Shark 6. Mahi-Mahi 7. Yellowmouth Grouper 8. Bull Shark 9. Giant Oarfish 10. Ocean Sunfish 11. Lemon Shark 12. Blue Parrotfish 13. Nurse Shark 14. Yellowfin Tuna 15. Manta Ray 16. Orange-lined Triggerfish 17. Clown Triggerfish 18. Black Triggerfish 19. Blue Triggerfish 20. Picasso Triggerfish 21. Whitetip Reef Shark 22. Blacktip Reef Shark 23. Grey Reef Shark 24. Megalodon 25. Orange Skunk Clownfish 26. Guadalupe Bass 27. Largemouth Bass 28. Smallmouth Bass 29. Spotted Bass 30. Channel Catfish 31. Blue Catfish 32. White Catfish 33. Yellow Bullhead 34. Alligator Gar 35. Longnose Gar 36. Shortnose Gar 37. Florida Gar 38. Silver Carp
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 1
Common Name: Whale Shark Scientific Name: Rhincodon typus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Rhincodontidae
Geography / Habitat: Whale sharks are found in warm, tropical seas. They are typically found in the open ocean, although they have been seen closer to land. They’re seen in lagoons, coral atolls, estuaries, and the mouth of rivers. They are migratory and are capable of diving to depths of at least 1,286m. Food / Feed Strategy: Whale sharks are filter feeders. They feed on macro algae, plankton, krill, Christmas island red crab larvae, small squid, small fish, and clouds of sperm and eggs from masses of spawning fish. They feed by ram filtration or active suction feeding. In both methods of feeding, the whale sharks use their filter pads. The sharks use cross-flow filtration to separate food from water, in which the water travels parallel to the filter pad surface and denser food particles continue to the back of the throat. This method is extremely efficient that minimizes the filer pads getting clogged up.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_shark#Diet
Title: Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 2
Common Name: Tiger Shark Scientific Name: Galeocerdo cuvier Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Geography / Habitat: Tiger sharks are found in warm tropical and sub tropical seas. They are nomadic and are guided by warmer currents. They also stay near the equator during the colder months of the year. They stay in the deeper waters that surround reefs, but do not pursue prey into shallower waters. Tigers can be seen in the Gulf of Mexico, North American beaches, South America, and commonly in the Caribbean. They have been recorded at depths just under 900 m, but the average tiger can be found at 350m. Food / Feed Strategy: The tiger shark as a pretty broad diet. Young tigers feed on small fish, small jelly fish, cephalopods, and other mollusks. When they reach sexual maturity they’re prey selection expands considerably. They eat fish, crustaceans, sea birds, sea snakes, marine mammals, dugongs, sea turtles, other sharks, and rays. They’ve been seen eating dead, injured, or sick whales. They have excellent eye sight and an acute sense of smell that allow them to follow the faintest trail of blood. They can sense low-frequency pressure wave that they use to find prey even in murky waters.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2014/03/26/uncategorized/18-ft-long-tigershark-caught-by-fishermen/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_shark#Range_and_habitat
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 3
Common Name: Great Hammerhead Shark Scientific Name: Sphyrna mokarran Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carchariniformes
Family: Sphyrnidae
Geography / Habitat: Great hammerheads are found in tropical waters around the world. They go as far north as North Carolina and as far south as Uruguay in the Atlantic ocean. It inhabits the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. They’re found all along the rim of the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. They prefer coral reefs, but also inhabit continental shelves, island terraces, lagoons, and deep water near land. They are migratory and have been recorded to travel closer to the poles during the summer. Food / Feed Strategy: The favorite prey of great hammerheads is sting rays. They eat invertebrates such as crabs, lobsters, squid, and octopus. Also, they eat tarpon, sardines, sea catfish, toadfish, porgies, grunts, jacks, croakers, groupers, flatfishes, box fishes, and porcupine fishes. Great Hammerheads are known to eat other sharks such as smoothhounds and grey reef sharks.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_hammerhead http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Hammerhead_shark
Title: Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 4
Common Name: Great White Shark Scientific Name: Carcharodon carcharias Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Lamnidae
Geography / Habitat: Great whites live in waters with temperatures between 54°F and 75°F. They live in almost all costal and off shore waters. The greatest population of great white sharks is found at Dyer Island, South Africa. They have been recorded at depths up to 1,200m. Food / Feed Strategy: Great whites usually eat marine animals with a high content of energyrich fat. They are carnivores. Great white sharks feed on fish, cetaceans, pinnipeds, sea turtles, sea otters, and seabirds. Great white sharks are ambush predators and attack their prey from below. They usually attack in the morning, within two hours after sunrise, when visibility is poor. During this time hunting rate is 55%, and after it drops to 40% and hunting stops.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_white_shark
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species #5
Common Name: Goblin Shark Scientific Name: Mitsukurina owstoni Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Mitsukurinidae
Geography / Habitat: Goblin Sharks live in upper continental slopes, submarine canyons, and seamounts throughout the world. They’re found at depths greater than 100m, with adults found deeper than juveniles. The shark has been caught in all three major oceans, meaning a worldwide distribution. The goblin shark is most often found over the upper continental slope at depths of 270-960m. The greatest it’s been caught at is 1,300m. Occasionally they will wonder inshore into waters as shallow as 40m. Food / Feed Strategy: Goblin sharks hunt teleost fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans both near the sea floor and in the middle of the water column. They can detect minute electric fields produced by nearby prey, which they can snatch up by rapidly extending their jaws. Its low density flesh and large oily liver make it neutrally buoyant, allowing it to drift towards its prey with so few motions as to avoid detection. Once prey is in range the jaws of the Goblin shark protrude out with incredible speed to capture it.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goblin_shark http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/types-of-shark/goblin-shark.htm
Title : Saltwater/Marie Fish
Species #6
Common Name: Mahi-mahi Scientific Name: Coryphaena hippurus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Coryphaenidae
Geography / Habitat: The mahi-mahi is found in tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world. They are abundant in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Current, and Caribbean. They are found off shore, mostly under floating objects or ships. They’re also found near the coast in depths between 0 and 85 meters. Food / Feed Strategy: Mahi-mahi is swift-moving, agile predators. They mainly hunt during the day as they rely on their eye sight and lateral lines to track prey. They eat small bonny fish, especially flying fish. Young mahi-mahi eats crustaceans, especially copepods. Males eat more than females to support their metabolism. Mahi-mahi hunts in small packs or pairs.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Crangiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahi-mahi http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/Dolphin/Dolphin.html
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 7
Common Name: Yellowmouth Grouper Scientific Name: Mycteroperca interstitalis Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Serranidae
Geography / Habitat: The yellowmouth grouper is found in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean tropical waters. They also live in pockets in Brazil. They live on rocky bottoms and coral beds that range from 4 to 55 meters in depth. Food / Feed Strategy: Yellowmouth groupers eat smaller fish and crustaceans.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Crangiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowmouth_grouper http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/marine-life-ecosystems/330461-fish-id-scamp-vsyellowmouth.html
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 8
Common Name: Bull Shark Scientific Name: Carcharhinus leucas Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhindae
Geography / Habitat: Bull sharks are found worldwide in warm coastal areas of the ocean, rivers, lakes, and estuaries if they are deep enough. Bull sharks can live in fresh and salt water. It’s found 150 meters deep but usually doesn’t go deeper than 30 meters. A large population lives in the rivers, streams, and lakes of Australia. Occasionally bull sharks have swam up the Mississippi River. They’re also found in the Amazon River. Food / Feed Strategy: Bull sharks mainly hunt alone, but will occasionally hunt in pairs. They cruise in shallow waters and can accelerate rapidly and be highly aggressive. Bull sharks hunt in murky waters, because it makes it harder for their prey to see them. They eat bony fish, other sharks, turtles, birds, dolphins, terrestrial mammals, crustaceans, echinoderms, and stingrays. When the bull shark is being chased by a predator it will throw up it food, and the predator will go for the thrown up food, giving the bull shark a chance to get away.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_shark http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/river-monsters/fish-guide/bull-shark-adventurefishing.htm
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 9
Common Name: Giant Oarfish Scientific Name: Regalecus glesne Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lampriformes
Family: Regalecidae
Geography / Habitat: The giant oarfish lives in waters worldwide. They live as far north as 72°N and as far south as 52°S. They like tropical to temperate oceans. They can be found between 1,000m to 200m.
Food / Feed Strategy: It feeds on krill, small crustaceans, small fish, and squid.
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Body Form or Style: Taeniform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Anguilliform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_oarfish http://www.dogonews.com/2013/10/19/two-rare-oarfish-discovered-off-southerncalifornias-coast-within-a-week
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 10
Common Name: Ocean Sunfish Scientific Name: Mola mola Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Molidae
Geography / Habitat: They live in temperate and tropical waters all around the world. They can swim up to 600m in depth and spend most of their time between 200 and 600 meters of depth. They occupy the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones of the ocean column. The will come up to the surface to let little fish eat parasites out of their skin and to warm up before diving down to colder deeper waters. Their presence may indicate nutrient-rich water where endangered species may be found. Food / Feed Strategy: The ocean sunfish eat various jellyfish, salps, squid, crustaceans, small fish, fish larvae, and eel grass. This range of food indicates that the sunfish eats from the surface to the ocean floor in some areas. This diet is nutritionally poor, so the sunfish has to eat a lot of food to maintain its size.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 11
Common Name: Lemon Shark Scientific Name: Negaprion brevirostris Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Geography / Habitat: They live in subtropical coral reefs, mangroves, enclosed bays, and river mouths. They select habitats in waters that are warm and shallow with a rocky or sandy bottom. They use mangroves for nurseries. Lemon sharks select warm-water habitats to maintain optimal metabolic levels. Food / Feed Strategy: Lemon sharks hunt at night and mainly eat fish. They tend to prefer prey that is more abundant and available. They selectively feed on fish that are slower and more easily captured by using a stalking technique. Lemon sharks approach their victim with speed only to brake suddenly using their pectoral fins upon contact. The animal then jabs forward multiple times until it has a good grasp of its prey in its jaw and proceeds to shake its head from side to side until it tears off a chunk of flesh.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_shark
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 12
Common Name: Blue Parrotfish Scientific Name: Scarus coeruleus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Scaridae
Geography / Habitat: Blue parrot fish are live on coral reefs from 3-25 m deep. Juveniles are found in beds of turtle grass. Food / Feed Strategy: They eat small organisms in the sand and algae scraped off the rocks. Eighty percent of their time is spent looking for food.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform ● Mouth Position: Subterminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Parrotfish
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 13
Common Name: Nurse Shark Scientific Name: Ginglymostoma cirratum Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Ginglymostomatidae
Geography / Habitat: They are a bottom-dwelling shark that lives in tropical and subtropical waters along the continental shelf. Its common habitats are reefs, channels between mangrove islands and sand flats. They are also found around the islands of the Caribbean. Food / Feed Strategy: They mainly eat crustaceans, mollusks, tunicates, sea snakes, and other fish, particularly stingrays. They take advantage of dormant fish, which normally are too fast for them to catch. They use their large throat cavities to suck in prey. They’re also known to graze algae and coral. Nurse sharks have been observed resting on the bottom with their bodies supported on their fins, possibly providing a false shelter for crustaceans which they then ambush and eat.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Anguilliform Mouth Position: Subterminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_shark
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 14
Common Name: Yellowfin Tuna Scientific Name: Thunnus albacares Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Scombridae
Geography / Habitat: Yellowfin tuna are epipelagic fish that inhabit the top 100 meters of the water column. They capable of diving to considerable depths; one has been recorded at 1,160 meters.
Food / Feed Strategy: Yellowfin tuna prey on crustaceans, squid, flying fish, sauries, mackerel, myctophids, lanternfish, anchovies, sardines, frigate mackerel, and skipjack tuna. Their bodies are designed for speed enabling them to hawk in their prey.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowfin_tuna
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 15
Common Name: Manta Ray Scientific Name: Manta birostris Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Myliobatiformes
Family: Mobulidae
Geography / Habitat: They live in warmer tropical waters, mainly around coral reefs. They live where food is abundant and due to their enormous size can be found in the open ocean hunting.
Food / Feed Strategy: Manta rays are carnivores. They eat by funneling food particles by the tiny plates in their mouths as they swim. Their diet consists of microscopic plankton, small fish, and crustaceans. Their favorite food is fish.
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Body Form or Style: Depressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Rajiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://a-z-animals.com/animals/manta-ray/
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 16
Common Name: Orange-lined Triggerfish Scientific Name: Balistapus undulatas Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Balistidae
Geography / Habitat: They live in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. The triggerfish live on coral reefs, in lagoons, and on external reef slopes. They’re found as deep as fifty meters.
Food / Feed Strategy: Orange-lined triggerfish eat algae, mollusks, sponges, hard coral tips, echinoderms, and fish.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Balistiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange-lined_triggerfish
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 17
Common Name: Clown Triggerfish Scientific Name: Balistoides conspicillum Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Balistidae
Geography / Habitat: Clown triggerfish live in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. They are most commonly found off external reef shelves in clear water till about 75 meters deep. Young clown triggerfish live under the shelter of caves or overhangs.
Food / Feed Strategy: Clown triggerfish eat mollusks, echinoderms, and crustaceans.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Balistiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balistoides_conspicillum
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 18
Common Name: Black Triggerfish Scientific Name: Melichthys niger Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Balistidae
Geography / Habitat: Black triggerfish are commonly found in the Indo Pacific and Red Sea. They’re found from open waters to shallows to exposed reefs. Black triggerfish seem to prefer islands in the Ascension island region. Food / Feed Strategy: Black triggerfish are omnivores. Their diet includes small fish, squid, shrimp, zooplankton, algae, and other marine plant life.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Balistiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melichthys_niger
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 19
Common Name: Blue Triggerfish Scientific Name: Pseudobalistes fuscus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Balistidae
Geography / Habitat: This species is widespread in the Tropical Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to South Africa, Society Islands, southern Japan, Australia and New Caledonia. Blue triggerfish is a reef-associated species. It prefers coastal waters, shallow lagoons and seaward reefs, at 30–50 meters (98–164 ft) of depth. Food / Feed Strategy: This triggerfish, like most other triggerfish, eats shellfish, small crustaceans, and other bottom-dwelling invertebrate.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Balistiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudobalistes_fuscus
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 20
Common Name: Picasso Triggerfish Scientific Name: Rhinecanthus assasi Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Balistidae
Geography / Habitat: It is a fish of coral reefs.
Food / Feed Strategy: Its diet includes invertebrates.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Balistiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinecanthus_assasi
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 21
Common Name: Whitetip Reef Shark Scientific Name: Triaenodon obesus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Geography / Habitat: The whitetip reef shark is distributed widely across the entire IndoPacific region. Associated almost exclusively with coral reef habitats, whitetip reef sharks are most often encountered around coral heads and ledges with high vertical relief, and additionally over sandy flats, in lagoons, and near drop-offs to deeper water. They prefer very clear water and rarely swim far from the bottom. Food / Feed Strategy: With its slender, lithe body, the whitetip reef shark specializes in wriggling into narrow crevices and holes in the reef and extracting prey inaccessible to other reef sharks. This species feeds mainly on bony fishes, including eels, squirrelfishes, snappers, damselfishes, parrotfishes, surgeonfishes, triggerfishes, and goatfishes, as well as octopus, spiny lobsters, and crabs. The whitetip reef shark is highly responsive to the electrical cues given off by potential prey, while its visual system is attuned more to movement. Whitetip reef sharks hunt primarily at night, when many fishes are asleep and easily taken. Multiple sharks may target the same prey item, covering every exit route from a particular coral head.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitetip_reef_shark
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 22
Common Name: Blacktip Reef Shark Scientific Name: Carcharhinus melanopterus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Geography / Habitat: The blacktip reef shark is found throughout near-shore waters of the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific. The blacktip reef shark is usually found in water only a few meters deep, and can often be seen swimming close to shore with its dorsal fin exposed. Younger sharks prefer shallow, sandy flats, while older sharks are most common around reef ledges and can also be found near reef drop-offs. Food / Feed Strategy: Its diet is composed primarily of small teleost fishes, including mullet, groupers, grunters, jacks, mojarras, wrasses, surgeonfish, and smelt-whitings. Similar to the grey reef shark, this species becomes more excited and "confident" in the presence of other individuals of its species, and in extreme situations can be roused into a feeding frenzy. Feeding activity may be greater at night than during the day. Its vision is adapted for sensitivity to movement or contrast under low light conditions.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacktip_reef_shark
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 23
Common Name: Grey Reef Shark Scientific Name: Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Geography / Habitat: The grey reef shark is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Generally a coastal, shallow-water species, grey reef sharks are mostly found in depths of less than 60 m. They are found over continental and insular shelves, preferring the leeward sides of coral reefs with clear water and rugged topography. They are frequently found near the drop-offs at the outer edges of the reef. Food / Feed Strategy: Grey reef sharks feed mainly on bony fishes, with cephalopods such as squid and octopus being the second-most important food group, and crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters making up the remainder. They excel at capturing fish swimming in the open. Their sense of smell is extremely acute, being capable of detecting one part tuna extract in 10 billion parts of sea water.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_reef_shark
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 24
Common Name: Megalodon Scientific Name: Carcharodon megalodon Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Lamnidae
Geography / Habitat: Fossil records indicate that it was cosmopolitan, and commonly occurred in subtropical to temperate latitudes. Megalodon had enough adaptability to inhabit a wide range of marine environments (i.e. coastal shallow waters, coastal upwelling, swampy coastal lagoons, sandy littorals and offshore deep water environments). Adult megalodon were not abundant in shallow water environments and mostly lurked offshore. Food / Feed Strategy: Its great size, high-speed swimming capability, and powerful jaws coupled with formidable killing apparatus, made it a super-predator with the capability to consume a broad spectrum of fauna. Megalodon attempted to crush the bones and damage delicate organs (i.e. heart, and lungs) harbored within the rib cage. Such an attack would have immobilized the prey.
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Body Form or Style: Fusiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Thunniform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalodon
Title : Saltwater/Marine Fish
Species # 25
Common Name: Orange Skunk Clownfish Scientific Name: Amphiprion sandaracinos Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Pomacentridae
Geography / Habitat: The Orange skunk clownfish is found in the center of the Indo-Pacific area, especially by the Philippines and Christmas Island. Amphiprion sandaracinos typically lives in small groups on outer reef slopes or in lagoons at a maximal depth of 20 meters (66 ft). It inhabits in association with two different species of sea anemones. It's often observed in Stichodactyla mertensii and rarely in Heteractis crispa. Food / Feed Strategy: This anemonefish is omnivorous and its diet is based on zooplankton, small benthic crustaceans and algaes.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_skunk_clownfish
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 26
Common Name: Guadalupe Bass Scientific Name: Micropterus treculii Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Geography / Habitat: Typically, Guadalupe bass are found in streams and reservoirs; absent from extreme headwaters. The Guadalupe bass prefer flowing waters of streams within native variety, and use covers like large rocks, cypress knees or stumps for refugee. Its main habitats are the San Marcos, Colorado, and Guadalupe rivers. Food / Feed Strategy: The fish (especially juveniles and very old fish), unlike other bass, have an inclination towards insects. Guadalupe bass at their predatory peak prefer larger bait fish such as shad and small bass or bluegill.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation:
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 27
Common Name: Largemouth Bass Scientific Name: Micropterus salmoides Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Geography / Habitat: Native populations of Micropterus salmoides occur throughout the eastern United States. Largemouth bass occupy almost all aquatic habitats in Alabama. Thriving in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, they are more tolerant of turbidity and slack current than are other Micropterus species. Food / Feed Strategy: The juvenile largemouth bass consumes mostly small bait fish, scuds, small shrimp, and insects. Adults consume smaller fish (bluegill, banded killifish), snails, crawfish (crayfish), frogs, snakes, salamanders, bats and even small water birds, mammals, and baby alligators. It also consumes younger members of larger fish species, such as pike, catfish, trout, walleye, white bass, striped bass, and even smaller black bass. In larger lakes and reservoirs, adult bass occupy deeper water than younger fish, and shift to a diet consisting almost entirely of smaller fish like shad, yellow perch, ciscoes, shiners, and sunfish.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largemouth_bass https://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/fish/bassblack/largemouth/
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 28
Common Name: Smallmouth Bass Scientific Name: Micropterus dolomieu Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Geography / Habitat: Smallmouth like cool, clear streams with moderate current, as well as large, clear lakes. Preferred habit has gravel or rubble substrate, boulders, some shade and cover, along with deep pools for stream environments. Because it is intolerant of pollution, the smallmouth bass is a good natural indicator of a healthy environment, though it can better adjust to changes in water condition than most trout species. Food / Feed Strategy: In general, smallmouth bass feed upon insects (both aquatic and terrestrial), crayfish, and fish. Young feed on plankton and immature aquatic insects. They feed at the water surface, in the water mass, and off the bottom.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform ● Mouth Position: Supraterminal ● Citation: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishfacts/smallmouthbass.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallmouth_bass
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 29
Common Name: Spotted Bass Scientific Name: Micropterus punctulatus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Geography / Habitat: Permanent-flowing waters that is warmer and slightly more turbid than those where the smallmouth bass occurs. Preferring cool and warm mountain streams and reservoirs with rocky bottoms. Food / Feed Strategy: Carnivorous, feeding on crayfish, fish, and immature aquatic insects. Bass
often catch their prey by ambushing from a place of hiding. Suction created when the rather large mouth is suddenly opened helps them capture prey.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform ● Mouth Position: Supraterminal ● Citation: http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/spotted-bass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_bass
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 30
Common Name: Channel Catfish Scientific Name: Ictalurus punctatus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Icatluridae
Geography / Habitat: Channel catfish are native to the Nearctic, being well distributed in lower Canada and the eastern and northern United States, as well as parts of northern Mexico. They thrive in small and large rivers, reservoirs, natural lakes, and ponds. Channel “cats” is cavity nesters, meaning they lay their eggs in crevices, hollows, or debris, to protect them from swift currents. Food / Feed Strategy: Catfish are primarily bottom feeders that feed at night. Channel catfish are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals. Common food items include aquatic plants and seeds, fish, mollusks, insects and their larvae, and crustaceans. Although channel catfish have poor eyesight, their barbels are well-equipped with taste buds which help them find food at night and in muddy waters.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform ● Mouth Position: Subterminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_catfish http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishfacts/channelcatfish.asp
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 31
Common Name: Blue Catfish Scientific Name: Ictalurus furcatus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Ictaluridae
Geography / Habitat: The native range of blue catfish extends from Minnesota and Ohio southward into Mexico. They prefer the large river basins of the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri River drainages. Blue catfish live mainly in fresh water and are found in the tidal Potomac River. Blue catfish are not native to Maryland. They were stocked into Virginia tributaries of the Potomac River. Blue catfish prefer large rivers having deep channels with a swift current and a sandy bottom. They seek cool water in the summer and warmer waters in the winter. Food / Feed Strategy: Blue catfish are omnivorous feeders with highly varied diets which include fish, crustaceans, insects, mollusks and plant matter. Although blue catfish have poor eyesight, their barbels are well equipped with taste buds which help them find food in dark waters
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform Mouth Position: Subterminal Citation: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishfacts/bluecatfish.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_catfish
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 32
Common Name: White Catfish Scientific Name: Ameiurus catus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Osteichthyes
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Ictaluridae
Geography / Habitat: White catfish inhabit fresh and brackish water bodies along the Atlantic and Gulf coast states from New York to Florida, and are native to the Chesapeake Bay system. White catfish are primarily a tidal water species that inhabit waters having a salinity of 5 percent, but also is found in freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. Habitats include: sluggish, mud-bottomed pools, open channels, and backwaters of small to large rivers. Food / Feed Strategy: White catfish are omnivores, which feed on anything from fish to insects to crustaceans.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishfacts/whitecatfish.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ictalurus_catus
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 33
Common Name: Yellow Bullhead Scientific Name: Ameiurus natalis Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Ictaluridae
Geography / Habitat: Yellow bullheads are bottom dwellers, living in areas with muck, rock, sand, or clay substrates. Its habitat includes river pools, backwaters, and sluggish current over soft or mildly rocky substrate in creeks, small to larger rivers, and shallow portions of lakes and ponds. Their habitat can vary from a slow current with poorly oxygenated, highly silted, and highly polluted water to a more swift current with clean and clear water that has aquatic vegetation. Fishermen often find them in sluggish creeks and rivers with a gravel bottom. Food / Feed Strategy: The yellow bullhead is a voracious scavenger that will almost eat anything. It locates prey by brushing the stream bottom with its barbels. Taste buds on the barbels tell the bullhead whether or not contact is made with edible prey. They typically feed at night on a variety of plant and animal material, both live and dead, most commonly consisting of insects, snails, minnows, clams, crayfish, other small aquatic organisms, and decaying animal matter.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform ● Mouth Position: Subterminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_bullhead
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 34
Common Name: Alligator Gar Scientific Name: Atractosteus spatula Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lepisosteiformes
Family: Lepisosteidae
Geography / Habitat: Alligator gars use a wide variety of aquatic habitats, but most are commonly found in the warm, sluggish backwaters of lowland rivers and lakes, in swamps, reservoirs, brackish waters, bayous and bays in the Southern United States. They are known to enter coastal bays, and have been seen in the Gulf of Mexico. In Louisiana it is common to see large gar breaking the surface in brackish marshes. Food / Feed Strategy: Their method of attack is to lie still in the water, appearing as harmless as a floating log while they wait for an unsuspecting fish to swim within reach. They are voracious predators when in ambush of their prey. They lunge forward, and with a sweeping motion grab their prey, impaling it onto their double rows of sharp teeth. Alligator gars are also opportunistic night predators, and will prey on small mammals, turtles, and waterfowl that may be floating on the water's surface.
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Body Form or Style: Sagittiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Amiiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_gar
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 35
Common Name: Longnose Gar Scientific Name: Lepisosteus osseus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lepisosteiformes
Family: Lepisosteidae
Geography / Habitat: Longnose gar is found in Central America, Cuba, North America, and the Isles of Pines. Longnose gar is frequently found in fresh water in the eastern half of the United States. Tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Inshore waters and estuaries. Food / Feed Strategy: Longnose gar is aggressive predators. Fish are the preferred food, but gar will also eat crustaceans and insects.
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Body Form or Style: Sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Amiiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishfacts/longnose_gar.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepisosteus_osseus
Title : Freshwater Fish
Species # 36
Common Name: Shortnose Gar Scientific Name: Lepisosteus platostomus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lepisosteiformes
Family: Lepisosteidae
Geography / Habitat: Shortnose gars generally inhabit calm waters in large rivers and their backwaters, as well as oxbow lakes and large, quiet pools, typically around vegetation or downed logs. Shortnose gars today are only located in North America. Located mainly in the central United States, they occupy much of the Mississippi and Missouri River basins ranging from Montana (in the west) to the Ohio River (in the east) in the north and the Gulf Coast from Louisiana and Alabama to parts of Texas in the south. Food / Feed Strategy: Shortnose gars are efficient, fierce, ambush predators. They feed mainly on fish, but they are very opportunistic and will also eat crayfish, insects, and other invertebrates. Despite feeding mainly on whatever fish are available, shortnose gar eat more invertebrates than any other gar and have even been found to exhibit territorial defense behaviors around favorable pools while foraging on high numbers of periodical cicadas.
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Body Form or Style: Sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Amiiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepisosteus_platostomus
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 37
Common Name: Florida Gar Scientific Name: Lepisosteus platyrhincus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lepisosteifomes
Family: Lepisosteidae
Geography / Habitat: They can be found in the Ochlockonee River and waters east and in peninsular Florida in medium to large lowland streams, canals, and lakes with muddy or sandy bottoms near underwater vegetation. They are often found in medium to shallow waters. They use an air bladder to breathe air which helps them survive in poorly oxygenated water. Food / Feed Strategy: Young Florida gars feed on zooplankton, insect larvae and small fish. Adults feed primarily on fish, along with some crustaceans and insects. The gar floats silently near the surface of the water, disguised as a stick or log. When it comes upon a fish, it propels itself slowly forward with a flick of its fins. Once into position the gar snaps its head sideways and secures the prey with its sharp teeth, then it slowly repositions the fish so that it can be swallowed headfirst.
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Body Form or Style: Sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Amiiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/FloridaGar/FloridaGar.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepisosteus_platyrhincus
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 38
Common Name: Silver Carp Scientific Name: Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Geography / Habitat: Large rivers and the lower reaches of their tributaries, floodplain pools, reservoirs and reservoir tailwaters. Native to big rivers of eastern Asia, especially China. Introduced in United States to help improve water quality in wastewater treatment plants by feeding on very small plankton. Food / Feed Strategy: Young feed on plankton strained from the water column. Adults feed on
bottom detritus and algae. Have become abundant and probably compete with native plankton eaters, including paddlefish and gizzard shad.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/silver-carp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_carp
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 39
Common Name: Common Carp Scientific Name: Cyprinus carpio Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Geography / Habitat: Carp can be found in the brackish and fresh waters of the Chesapeake Bay, and in most freshwater rivers and impoundments statewide. Carp frequent shallow backwaters and shoreline habitat. Carp are hardy and tolerant of a wide variety of conditions but generally favor large water bodies with slow flowing or standing water and soft bottom sediments. Food / Feed Strategy: Adults are omnivorous. Food items consumed include: aquatic plants, algae, insect/fish larvae, crustaceans, mollusks, and even small fish. Typical feeding method is to disturb the bottom material with its snout and pick up the food items that are dislodged. Carp feeding activity in shallow waters can be easily identified because of the silt clouds that are created.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishfacts/commoncarp.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_carp
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 40
Common Name: Grass Carp Scientific Name: Ctenopharyngodon idella Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Geography / Habitat: This species occurs in lakes, ponds, pools, and backwaters of large rivers, preferring large, slow-flowing or standing water bodies with vegetation. It is a large cyprind native to eastern Asia, with a native range from northern Vietnam to the Amur River on the Siberia-China border. It is a fish of large, turbid rivers and associated floodplain lakes, with a wide degree of temperature tolerance. Food / Feed Strategy: Adults of the species feed primarily on aquatic plants. They feed on higher aquatic plants and submerged terrestrial vegetation, but may also take detritus, insects, and other invertebrates.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_carp
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 41
Common Name: Bighead Carp Scientific Name: Hypophthalmichthys nobilis Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Geography / Habitat: Large rivers and the lower reaches of their tributaries, floodplain pools, reservoirs and reservoir tailwaters. Bighead carp are native to the large rivers and associated floodplain lakes of eastern Asia. Their range extends from southern China to the Amur River system, which forms the northern border of China and the southern border of Russia. Today, the bighead carp can be found in the wild in Europe, South America, and North America. It also has been introduced into most of the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, and most Southeast Asian countries) and to lakes in western China to which it is not native. Food / Feed Strategy: Bighead carp feed on plankton strained from the water. They also eat
larger plankton than silver carp, including zooplankton and algae. Bighead carp compete for food with native planktivores, such as paddlefish, bigmouth buffalo and the young of many other desirable native fishes.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/bighead-carp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bighead_carp
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 42
Common Name: Black Carp Scientific Name: Mylopharyngodon piceus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Geography / Habitat: The black carp inhabits most of the major waterways of eastern Asia. The natural range of black carp includes China, parts of far eastern Russia, and possibly northern Vietnam. Food / Feed Strategy: This fish feeds on aquatic snails and mussels; unfortunately, many mussels in our state and nationwide are declining (many to the point of being endangered) even without the presence of this predator. Also, as black carp feed on algae-grazing snails, their presence may radically alter the composition of aquatic communities by removing those removers of algae.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://www.fws.gov/Midwest/Fisheries/Library/fact-blackcarp.pdf http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/black-carp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_carp
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 43
Common Name: Mud Carp Scientific Name: Cirrhinus molitorella Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Geography / Habitat: The mud carp is a fish native to China and found in the waterways of the Pearl River, but it also found in the Mekong River. The mud carp is found in Mekong River and Pearl River delta, as well as bodies of freshwater along these two rivers. Food / Feed Strategy: Mud carp is an omnivore and mainly consumes water plants or insects.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Subcarangiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud_Carp
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 44
Common Name: Black Crappie Scientific Name: Pomoxis nigromaculatus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Geography / Habitat: The black crappie's habitats are lakes, reservoirs, borrow pits, and navigation pools in large rivers. They prefer areas with little or no current, clear water, and abundant cover such as submerged timber or aquatic vegetation, as well as sand or mud bottoms like those found in lakes, ponds, streams, and sloughs. Its native range is suspected to be in the eastern United States and Canada, and as of 2005, populations existed in all of the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Food / Feed Strategy: Crappies feed early in the morning and from about midnight until approximately 2am. Individuals smaller than about 16 cm in length eat plankton and minuscule crustaceans, while larger individuals feed on small fishes (like shad), as well as minnows. Adult black crappie feed on fewer fish than white crappie do; instead they consume a larger volume of insects and crustaceans.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform Mouth Position: Supraterminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_crappie
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 45
Common Name: White Crappie Scientific Name: Pomoxis annularis Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Geography / Habitat: White crappie can be found in large rivers, reservoirs and lakes. Open water in or near submerged timber or other suitable cover in ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and slowflowing backwaters of large rivers. Near vegetation and submerged woody structure in shallow water during spawning period. Food / Feed Strategy: Primarily small fish such as minnows and young shad; also aquatic insects and small crustaceans.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/white-crappie http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_crappie
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 46
Common Name: Green Sunfish Scientific Name: Lepomis cyanellus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Geography / Habitat: The green sunfish is native to a wide area of North America east of the Rocky Mountains, from the Hudson Bay basin in Canada, to the Gulf Coast in the United States, and northern Mexico. The species prefers vegetated areas in sluggish backwaters, lakes, and ponds with gravel, sand, or bedrock bottoms. They also can be found in very muddy waters and are able to tolerate poor water conditions. Green sunfish tend to spend their time hiding around rocks, submerged logs, and other objects that provide cover and protection. Food / Feed Strategy: Its diet can include aquatic insects and larvae, insects that fall into the water, crayfish, snails, some small fish, zooplankton, and other small invertebrates.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_sunfish
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 47
Common Name: Bluegill Scientific Name: Lepomis macrochirus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Geography / Habitat: Inshore from the Great Lakes to Florida. In all tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay with salinity less than 18 ppt. Bluegills are a freshwater fish, although they will venture into slightly salty water. They like quiet waters such as lakes, ponds and slow flowing rivers and streams. Food / Feed Strategy: Spiders, insects, crayfish, fish eggs, and other small fish are their favorite foods. Young bluegills often become food for larger fish, birds and water snakes.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform ● Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform ● Mouth Position: Terminal ● Citation: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishfacts/bluegill.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegill
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 48
Common Name: Northern Pike Scientific Name: Esox lucius Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Esociformes
Family: Esocidae
Geography / Habitat: Pike are found in sluggish streams and shallow, weedy places in lakes, as well as in cold, clear, rocky waters. In short, they inhabit any water body that contains fish, but suitable places for spawning are essential for their numbers. Because of their cannibalistic nature, young pike need places where they can take shelter between plants so they are not eaten. In both cases, rich submerged vegetation is needed. Food / Feed Strategy: A pike has a very typical hunting behavior; it is able to remain stationary in the water by moving the last fin rays of the dorsal fins and the pectoral fins. Before striking, it bends its body and darts out to the prey using the large surface of its tail fin, dorsal fin, and anal fin to propel itself. The fish has a distinctive habit of catching its prey sideways in the mouth, immobilizing it with its sharp, backward-pointing teeth, and then turning the prey headfirst to swallow it. It eats mainly fish, but also small mammals and birds fall prey to pike.
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Body Form or Style: Sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Amiiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_pike
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 49
Common Name: Redbreast Sunfish Scientific Name: Lepomis auritus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Geography / Habitat: Redbreast sunfish is a freshwater fish occurring in eastern rivers in the U. S. and Canada, including the Gulf of Mexico drainage. It is considered to be a locally common species. This species is found in rocky and sandy pools of creeks and small to medium rivers. Also inhabits in the rocky and vegetated margins of lakes. Food / Feed Strategy: Redbreast sunfish mainly consume immature aquatic insects. Mayflies, small fish, and dragonfly larvae consist of the majority of the sunfish’s diet based on stomach content. Being an opportunistic feeder, the fish competes with other sunfish and larger predatory fish that prey on the same food they do.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepomis_auritus http://animalguide.georgiaaquarium.org/home/galleries/river-scout/galleryanimals/redbreast-sunfish
Title: Freshwater Fish
Species # 50
Common Name: Blue Tilapia Scientific Name: Oreochromis aureus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Cichlidae
Geography / Habitat: Widespread and abundant in Florida; found in fertile lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and canals. It is tolerant of saltwater and found in some near shore marine habitats, such as Tampa Bay. Native to north Africa and the Middle East. Food / Feed Strategy: Feed primarily on plankton and small organisms living in or on bottom detritus; three most common foods consumed in Lake Alice and Lake George were diatoms, green algae, and detritus; dominant food items in stomachs of fish from Six-Mile Creek near Tampa were detritus, algae, diatoms, and plant material.
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Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform Mouth Position: Terminal Citation: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/fish/freshwater/nonnatives/bluetilapia/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oreochromis_aureus
Title: Saltwater/Marie Invertebrates
Species # 51
Common Name: Atlantic Pygmy Octopus Scientific Name: Octopus joubini Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Family: Octopodiae
Geography / Habitat: Inhabit empty shells among coral, near low tide line and below in shallow water. They use crevices, empty clam shells, or spaces in a reef face to eat and rest. Food / Feed Strategy: Like all octopuses, O. joubini is carnivorous. It is able to bore into the hard shells of small clams or other creatures and, after secreting its poisonous saliva to paralyze its victim, eats its prey. While the Atlantic pygmy octopus feeds primarily on small crustaceans, only a few species have been recorded as prey of this species in the wild.
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Body Form or Style: Swim / Locomotion Style: Mouth Position: Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_pygmy_octopus http://eol.org/pages/492283/details
Title: Saltwater/Marie Invertebrates
Species # 52
Common Name: Greater Blue Ringed Octopus Scientific Name: Hapalochlaena lunulata Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Family: Octopodidae
Geography / Habitat: Northern Australia to Japan including Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Indonesia as far west as Sri Lanka. These octopuses are bottom dwellers inhabiting sandy and silty areas in shallow coral reefs, tide pools, and clumps of algae at depths of 0-20 m (0-66 ft).They hide in rock crevices, inside empty seashells, and in discarded bottles and cans. Food / Feed Strategy: Blue-ringed-octopuses hunt during the day. They eat small crabs, hermit crabs, shrimp, and occasionally small fishes: however, they are primarily crab-eaters. Ambush predators, they usually pounce on their hard-shelled prey trap it with their arms and use their sharp parrot-like beak to pierce a hole in the prey’s shell or exoskeleton. Venomous saliva is then dribbled into the wound. When the prey is paralyzed, the predatory octopus uses its beak to tear off and eat the softer parts of the animal.
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Body Form or Style: ● Swim / Locomotion Style: ● Mouth Position: ● Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapalochlaena_lunulata http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/greater_blue_ringed_oct opus1
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 53
Common Name: Mimic Octopus Scientific Name: Thaumoctopus mimicus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Family: Octopodidae
Geography / Habitat: The mimic octopus lives in nutrient-rich estuarine bays of Indonesia and Malaysia primarily in shallow warm waters about 15 meters deep. It prefers obscuring murky and muddy sea floors to blend in with its natural brown, beige color. Food / Feed Strategy: The mimic octopus can either be classified as a hunter or a forager. It is believed to be a hunter because scientists have observed and recorded the octopus having the ability to stalk prey and hunt down small fish and catch them. More often, however, the Mimic Octopus can be seen foraging for food. It does this by using a jet of water through its siphon to glide over the sand while searching for prey, and using its slender tentacles to reach into crevices in coral, as well as holes in the sand, and use its suction cups to grab small crustaceans and eat them. Because the Mimic Octopus prefers to live in shallow, murky waters, it is believed that its diet consists almost exclusively of small fish and crustaceans.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimic_octopus
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 54
Common Name: Common Octopus Scientific Name: Octopus vulgaris Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Family: Octopodidae
Geography / Habitat: The common octopus is typically found in tropical waters throughout the world, such as the Mediterranean Sea and East Atlantic. They prefer the floor of relatively shallow, rocky, coastal waters, often no deeper than 200 meters. Food / Feed Strategy: They prey on crabs, crayfish, and mollusks, and will sometimes use their ink to disorient their victims before attacking.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_octopus http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/common-octopus/#closemodal
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 55
Common Name: Giant Clam Scientific Name: Tridacna gigas Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Order: Veneroida
Family: Cariidae
Geography / Habitat: One of a number of large clam species native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific and Indian oceans. They are also found off the shores of the Philippines, where they are called taklobo, and in the South China Sea in the coral reefs of Sabah (Malaysian Borneo). T. gigas lives in flat coral sand or broken coral and can be found at depth of as much as 20 m (66 ft). Its range covers the Indo-Pacific, but populations are diminishing quickly and the giant clam has become extinct in many areas where it was once common. Food / Feed Strategy: Algae provide giant clams with a supplementary source of nutrition. These plants consist of unicellular algae, whose metabolic products add to the clam's filter food. As a result, they are able to grow as large as 100 cm length even in nutrient-poor coral-reef waters. The clams cultivate algae in a special circulatory system which enables them to keep a substantially higher number of symbionts per unit of volume.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_clam
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 56
Common Name: Small Giant Clam Scientific Name: Tridacna maxima Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Order: Veneroida
Family: Tridacnidae
Geography / Habitat: The small giant clam has the widest range of all giant clam species. It is found in the oceans surrounding east Africa, India, China, Australia, Southeast Asia and the islands of the Pacific. Found living on the surface of reefs or sand, or partly embedded in coral, the small giant clam occupies well-lit areas, due to its symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae, which require sunlight for energy production. Food / Feed Strategy: The small giant clam is a bivalve mollusc, referring to the two valves on the mantle. These siphon water through the body in order to extract oxygen from the water using the gills and to feed on algae. A sessile mollusc, the small giant clam attaches itself to rocks or dead coral and siphons water through its body, filtering it for phytoplankton, as well as extracting oxygen with its gills. However, it does not need to filter-feed as much as other clams since it obtains most of the nutrients it requires from tiny photosynthetic algae known as zooxanthellae.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxima_clam
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 57
Common Name: Queen Conch Scientific Name: Lobatus gigas Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Mesogastropoda
Family: Stormbidae
Geography / Habitat: Lobatus gigas is native to the tropical Western Atlantic coasts of North and Central America in the greater Caribbean tropical zone. The queen conch lives in seagrass meadows and on sandy substrate, usually in association with turtle grass. Juveniles inhabit shallow, inshore seagrass meadows, while adults favor deeper algal plains and seagrass meadows. Food / Feed Strategy: Lobatus gigas is a specialized herbivore, as is the case in other Strombidae, that feeds on macroalgae, seagrass and unicellular algae, intermittently also feeding on algal detritus. The green macroalgae Batophora oerstedii is one of its preferred foods.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobatus_gigas
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 58
Common Name: Florida Horse Conch Scientific Name: Triplofusus giganteus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Mesogastropoda
Family: Fasciolariidae
Geography / Habitat: This large sea snail is found along the Atlantic coast of the Americas from the U.S. state of North Carolina to the north, to Yucatán in the Gulf of Mexico to the south. This species dwells on sand, weed and mud flats from the low intertidal to shallow subtidal zones, in 20 foot (6 m) deep water. Food / Feed Strategy: Triplofusus giganteus is a carnivorous predatory species, and feeds on other large marine gastropods, including the tulip shell, the lightning whelk, and the queen conch as well as some Murex species. It may also present cannibalistic behavior, feeding on smaller nonspecific individuals.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleuroploca_gigantea
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 59
Common Name: Purple Sunstar Scientific Name: Solaster endeca Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Velatida
Family: Solasteridae
Geography / Habitat: It is usually found on mud, sand or gravel, at depths from the subtidal zone and down to 450 meters. This is circumpolar, northern species, found in the Arctic, the Atlantic as well as the Pacific Ocean. In Europe it can be found as far south as Holland, but is more frequent further north. Food / Feed Strategy: Purple Sunstars prey mostly on sea cucumbers. They wrap their arms around their prey, evert their stomach over it and release digestive enzymes.
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Citation: http://www.mun.ca/osc/oscedu/sendeca.php http://www.seawater.no/fauna/echinodermata/endeca.html
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 60
Common Name: Rose Sea Star Scientific Name: Crossaster papposus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidae
Order: Valvatida
Family: Solasteridae
Geography / Habitat: Crossaster papposus can be found in the Pacific, to Washington and the Sea of Okhotsk; in the Atlantic to 40°N latitude on the American side, and to Scandinavia and the British Isles on the northern European coast. Found from the intertidal zone to 1200 meters deep on soft mud, gravel, sand, pebbles or rock. Food / Feed Strategy: Diet includes sea pens, nudibranchs, bryozoa, sea squirts and bivalves and can live for at least 20 years.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_sea_star
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 61
Common Name: Cushion Sea Star Scientific Name: Oreaster reticulatus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Oreasteridae
Geography / Habitat: Adults are usually found on sandy bottoms and coral rubble at depths of up to 37 meters (121 ft) while juveniles inhabit seagrass meadows where their coloring helps provide camouflage. In the winter, the red cushion star migrates to offshore locations with little water movement in order to avoid turbulence. Food / Feed Strategy: Oreaster reticulatus is an omnivore that feeds on a great variety of epiphytic microorganisms such as filamentous algae, diatoms, and small detritus particles. The number of microorganisms it consumes generally depends on their availability and its ability to capture them. It also feeds on sea urchins; sea cucumber juveniles; meiofauna such as polychaete worms, copepods, ostracods, and crab larvae; and sponge tissue.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oreaster_reticulatus http://eol.org/pages/598571/overview
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 62
Common Name: Sand Star Scientific Name: Luidia foliolata Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Paxillosida
Family: Luidiidae
Geography / Habitat: The sand star is found at depths to 600 m (2,000 ft) on soft substrates in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, with a range extending from Alaska to the Galapagos Islands and Nicaragua. The sand star is well-camouflaged on the sandy and muddy sea beds where it is found, and is often half-covered with sediment. Food / Feed Strategy: It can create a shallow depression and work its way under the bivalve mollusks, polychaete worms, brittle stars, and sea cucumbers on which it feeds. Unlike some other starfish, it cannot evert its stomach, so is limited to smaller-sized prey.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_star
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 63
Common Name: Black Sea Urchin Scientific Name: Arbacia lixula Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Echinoidea
Order: Arbacioida
Family: Arbaciidae
Geography / Habitat: The black sea urchin typically situates itself within a coral crevice for optimum protection, but it can be found in areas that are more open if no suitable crevices can be found. Food / Feed Strategy: This species feeds at night and will move as far as 3.2 feet each night in search of food. It prefers to feed on algae and sea grasses, but has been known to consume animal matter if no other food types are available.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbacia_lixula http://www.redorbit.com/education/reference_library/animal_kingdom/echinoderms/111 2834408/black-sea-urchin-diadema-antillarum/
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 64
Common Name: Sea Apple Scientific Name: Pseudocolochirus violaceus Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Dendrochirotida
Family: Cucumariidae
Geography / Habitat: Sea apples live in the Indian Ocean and the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Sea apples live on hard material, such as coral reefs, in water as deep as 40 feet (12 meters) in areas with a current. Food / Feed Strategy: The sea apple feeds primarily on plankton, which it filters from the water with its tentacles. It alternately brings each tentacle to its mouth, scraping off the captured plankton. Sea apples usually feed at night at which time their delicate tentacles are less at risk from predators.
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Citation: http://animals.jrank.org/pages/1630/Sea-Cucumbers-Holothuroidea-SEAAPPLE-Pseudocolochirus-violaceus-SPECIES-ACCOUNTS.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudocolochirus_violaceus
Title: Saltwater/Marine Invertebrates
Species # 65
Common Name: Giant Squid Scientific Name: Architeuthis dux Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Teuthida
Family: Architeuthidae
Geography / Habitat: Giant squid are widespread, occurring in all of the world's oceans. The vertical distribution of giant squid is incompletely known, but data from trawled specimens and sperm whale diving behavior suggest it spans a large range of depths, possibly 300–1000 m. Food / Feed Strategy: Recent studies have shown giant squid feed on deep-sea fish and other squid species. They catch prey using the two tentacles, gripping it with serrated sucker rings on the ends. Then they bring it toward the powerful beak, and shred it with the radula before it reaches the esophagus. They are believed to be solitary hunters, as only individual giant squid have been caught in fishing nets.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_squid
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 66
Common Name: Chinese Mystery Snail Scientific Name: Bellamya chinensis Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Architaenioglossa
Family: Viviparidae
Geography / Habitat: Though native to East Asia from the tropics of Indochina to northern China, this species has established itself in North America. The native range is from Southeast Asia to Japan and eastern Russia. This species is widely distributed in China including the Chinese Loess Plateau. Food / Feed Strategy: Cipangopaludina chinensis feeds non-selectively on organic and inorganic bottom material as well as benthic and epiphytic algae, mostly by scraping, but diatoms are probably the most nutritious food it ingests at sites in eastern North America.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mystery_snail
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 67
Common Name: Red-rimmed Melania Scientific Name: Melanoides tuberculata Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Neotaenioglossa
Family: Thiaridae
Geography / Habitat: This species is native to subtropical and tropical northern Africa and southern Asia. Although normally a freshwater snail, this species is very tolerant of brackish water. Food / Feed Strategy: This snail feeds primarily on algae (microalgae).
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-rimmed_melania
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 68
Common Name: Giant Ramshorn Snail Scientific Name: Marisa cornuarietis Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Architaenioglossa
Family: Ampullariidae
Geography / Habitat: The giant ramshorn snail is native to northern South America and several of the southern islands of the Caribbean. This snail prefers still or slow-moving fresh water, depending on the availability of aquatic vegetation as a food source. Food / Feed Strategy: This species eats aquatic plants, algae, and dead fish and snails.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marisa_cornuarietis
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 69
Common Name: Great Pond Snail Scientific Name: Lymnaea stagnalis Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Basommatophora
Family: Lymnaeidae
Geography / Habitat: This large snail lives only in freshwater: it prefers slowly running water, and standing water bodies. Food / Feed Strategy: Great pond snails feed on diatoms, aquatic plants and the remaining tissue of other gastropods.
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Citation: http://eol.org/pages/453306/overview http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymnaea_stagnalis
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 70
Common Name: Crawfish Scientific Name: Procambarus clarkii Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthopoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Cambaridae
Geography / Habitat: The native range of P. clarkii is along the Gulf Coast from northern Mexico to the Florida panhandle, as well as inland, to southern Illinois and Ohio. P. clarkii is most commonly found in warm fresh water, such as slowly flowing rivers, marshes, reservoirs, irrigation systems and rice paddies. Food / Feed Strategy: Crayfish are omnivorous, so they eat both plants and animals. They are also scavengers and will eat dead things, as long as they are relatively fresh. Some favorite foods of crayfish are worms, insects, insect larvae, and the eggs of fish, frogs, toads, and salamanders.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procambarus_clarkii http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/crayfish_(cambarus).htm
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 71
Common Name: Rhino Shrimp Scientific Name: Caridina gracilirostris Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Atyidae
Geography / Habitat: The Red Nosed Shrimp is native to the coastal areas of India and Southeast Asia. They are common to brackish water but will readily adapt to most water conditions and even freshwater habitats. Food / Feed Strategy: These shrimp are scavengers and whilst they are consumers of algae, that is not their main food. They generally prefer fish food to algae, and will only resort to the latter if the former is unavailable.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caridina_gracilirostris http://theaquariumwiki.com/Caridina_gracilirostris http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/inv/rednosedshrimp.php
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 72
Common Name: Freshwater Pearl Mussels Scientific Name: Margaritifera margaritifera Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Order: Unionoida
Family: Margaritiferidae
Geography / Habitat: The freshwater pearl mussel can be found on both sides of the Atlantic, from the Arctic and temperate regions of western Russia, through Europe to northeastern North America. Clean, fast-flowing streams and rivers are required for the freshwater pearl mussel, where it lives buried or partly buried in fine gravel and coarse sand, generally in water at depths between 0.5 and 2 meters, but sometimes at greater depths. Food / Feed Strategy: Freshwater pearl mussels filter small organic particles from the water column. It is not known exactly what they eat, but the organism's diet likely consists of fungal spores, bacteria, tiny phytoplankton and zooplankton, and other very small filterable particles.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_pearl_mussel http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Margaritifera_margaritifera/
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 73
Common Name: Faucet Snail Scientific Name: Bithynia tentaculata Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Neotaenioglossa
Family: Bithyniidae
Geography / Habitat: This snail lives in slow-running freshwater habitat such as low-velocity rivers, and standing-water bodies such as lakes. The species flourishes in calcium-rich waters. It is commonly found in freshwater ponds, shallow lakes, and canals. This species is found on the substrate in fall and winter (including gravel, sand, clay, mud or undersides of rocks) and on aquatic macrophytes (including milfoil, Myriophyllum spicatum and muskgrass, Chara spp.) in warmer months. Food / Feed Strategy: This species functions as both a scraper and a collector-filterer, grazing on algae on the substrate, as well as using its gills to filter suspended algae from the water column. When filter feeding, algae is sucked in, condensed, and then passed out between the right tentacle and exhalant siphon in pellet-like packages which are then eaten. The faucet snail is known in Eurasia to feed on black fly larvae.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bithynia_tentaculata
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 74
Common Name: Grass Shrimp Scientific Name: Palaemonetes pugio Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Palaemonidae
Geography / Habitat: Found throughout most of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers. Lives in shallow waters, often among bay grass beds. May move to warmer, deeper waters in winter. Food / Feed Strategy: Forages for worms, algae and tiny crustaceans.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palaemonetes_pugio http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/common_grass_shrimp
Title: Freshwater Invertebrates
Species # 75
Common Name: Freshwater Jellyfish Scientific Name: Craspedacusta sowerbii Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Hydrozoa
Order: Limnomedusae
Family: Olindiidae
Geography / Habitat: C. sowerbii is usually found in calm, freshwater reservoirs, lakes, impoundments, gravel pits or quarries. They have also been seen in river systems such as the Allegheny River, the Ohio River and the Tennessee River in the United States and the Wang Thong River of Thailand. They prefer standing water, and are not generally seen in fast flowing streams or rivers. Food / Feed Strategy: C. sowerbii is a predator on zooplankton including daphnia and copepods. Prey is caught with their stinging tentacles. Drifting with its tentacles extended, the jelly waits for suitable prey to touch a tentacle. Once contact has been made, nematocysts on the tentacle fire into the prey, injecting poison which paralyzes the animal, and the tentacle itself coils around the prey. The tentacles then bring the prey into the mouth, where it is released and then digested.
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Citation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craspedacusta_sowerbii