Yena Jeong Fish ID project

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 1

Common Name: California Sheephead Scientific Name: Semicossyphus Pulcher Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: perciformes

Family: labridae

Geography / Habitat: California sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher) are found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean along the California coast, from Monterey Bay to the Gulf of California (Cabo San Lucas). They are sometimes seen in the Gulf of California, Mexico, but are most abundant south of Point Conception, California.

Life Strategy: California sheephead forage during the day with harem members and the dominant male. At night, they station themselves beneath rock overhangs or within crevices, and like several other species of wrasse, they encase themselves in a protective cocoon of mucus while quiescent. Males display aggressive tendencies, including territorial behaviors during mating. Research suggests that catching and releasing these animals causes stress and may alter their behavior.

Food / Feed Strategy: California sheephead consumes benthic invertebrates including the purple sea urchins, Pacific rock crabs, acorn barnacles, mussels, clams, and bryozoans.

They also eat snails, squids, common sand dollars, eccentric sand dollars, and sea cucumbers. Their large canine-like teeth are used to pry sessile invertebrates from rocks.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Semicossyphus Pulcher: PICTURES. N.p., n.d.

Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Semicossyphus_pulcher/pictures/collecti ons/contributors/Grzimek_fish/Labroidei/LabroideiII/Semicossyphus_pulcher/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 2

Common Name: Blue Fish Scientific Name: Pomatomus Saltatrix Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomatomidae

Geography / Habitat: Pomatomus Saltatrix(s) are found in all oceanic coastal waters except the eastern and northwest pacific. They are most common in clean, high-energy waters, such as surf beaches and rock headlands. Smaller Pomatomus Saltatrix’s live nearly year round in estuaries and bays along the coasts. As they mature, they begin annual migrations.

They can tolerate water temperatures as low as 14 degrees Celsius and can maintain a body temperature up to 40 degrees Celsius.

Life Strategy: Pomatomus saltatrix are constantly moving, as they travel in schools that can extend 6 to 8 km in length. As the schools move through the water, they will attack other schools of fish, destroying large numbers of excess prey. Each year, beginning in January, bluefish begin their annual migration northward. The cause for this migration is unknown, but it is speculated that it is due to seasonal changes in light intensity and the length of the day.

Food / Feed Strategy: Pomatomus Saltatrix are strictly carnivorous, eating squid, shrimp, crabs, and fish, such as herring, atlantic mackerel, menhaden, spot, butterfish, and mullet.

They are visual feeders that hunt in schools and will attack anything that moves or slightly resembles food. Bluefish will often first bite the tail off their prey, will then consume the food, will regurgitate, and will again eat.

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Body Form or Style: Fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Carangiform Mouth Position: Terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Pomatomus Saltatrix: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pomatomus_saltatrix/>

Title: Saltwater/ Marine fishes

Species #: 3

Common Name: Oregon sturgeon Scientific Name: Acipenser transmontanus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Acipenseriformes

Family: Acipenseridae

Geography / Habitat: The White Sturgeon is found on the Pacific slope of North America from the Aleutian Islands, AK to Baja, CA. It is anadromous fish, spending most of its life in sea near the shore and can be found in estuaries of large rivers. It migrates far inland in large rivers to spawn. They are anadromous fish but may spend much or all of their lives in fresh water if they cannot reach the sea.

Life Strategy: White sturgeon are slow growing, late maturing, anadromous fish. Adults spend most of their time in sea near the shore, but they have been found in depths of 30 meters. Adults move into large rivers in early spring and spawn by May or June. They can ascend far inland to spawn (Lee 1980). Landlocked fish also migrate. Tagging studies of Kootemai river white sturgeon revealed that in spring, the fish were observed to have moved upriver 16 to 114 river kilometers, and remained congregated in specific locations through the summer.

Food / Feed Strategy: White Sturgeon have been described as opportunistic feeders, feeding on the bottom with their long snouts and using their barbels to detect food. When small they feed on clams, mussels, crayfish, worms, and fish eggs. At a larger size, they prey on fish such as smelt, anchovies, lamprey, shad and salmon.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: caragiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Semicossyphus Pulcher: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Semicossyphus_pulcher/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 4

Common Name: Somber surgeonfish Scientific Name: Zebrasoma flavescens Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat: Yellow tangs, Zebrasoma flavescens, are reef fish found in the waters west of Hawaii and east of Japan in the Pacific Ocean. They mainly live off the coast of Hawaii, but are also found in the more western ranges of their habitat, including the islands Ryukyu, Mariana, Marshall, Marcus, and Wake. They prefer subtropical waters.

Life Strategy: Juvenile yellow tangs are often territorial. This trait usually diminishes as the fish mature and start to roam wider areas of the reef. Adult tangs live singly or in small, loose groups. These groups sometimes contain other species of fish, like sailfin tang (Zebrasoma veliferum). Yellow tangs are diurnal. During the day, tangs move from place to place, grazing on algae; at night, they generally rest alone in coral reef crevices.

Food / Feed Strategy: Yellow tangs have a long, down-turned mouth with small teeth that are specialized for grazing on algae. Because they are mainly herbivores, they spend a large amount of their time grazing either alone or in groups. A large portion of their diet consists of uncalcified and filamentous algae that grows on coral reefs. In addition to smaller types of algae, yellow tangs feed on macroalgae, such as seaweed. Yellow tangs will also eat some types of zooplankton.

 Body Form or Style: depressiform  Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform  Mouth Position: terminal Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Zebrasoma Flavescens: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Zebrasoma_flavescens/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 5

Common Name: Convict surgeonfish Scientific Name: Acanthurus triostegus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat: Convict tangs are found throughout the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the eastern Pacific Ocean from the lower Gulf of California to Panama. They are also known as convict surgeonfish or Manini.

Life Strategy: Convict tangs are often found in schools (large and small) but may also be found individually. While less territorial than other tangs, tank size is still an important consideration for those keeping this species. Convict tangs have been observed in the wild exhibiting tonic immobility (death feigning).

Food / Feed Strategy: Convict tangs are herbivores, grazing on algae found on rocks and corals. Adaptations to their algivorous diet include mouths that are slightly downwardlydirected and flexible, comb-like teeth.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Acanthurus Triostegus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Acanthurus_triostegus/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 6

Common Name: Dorab Scientific Name: Chirocentrus dorab Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Clupeiformes

Family: Chirocentridae

Geography / Habitat: Blackfin wolf-herrings, Chirocentrus dorab, are found throughout the Indian Ocean, ranging from the eastern shores of Africa to the Solomon Islands. They can be found as far north as southern Japan and as far south as northern Australia.

Life Strategy: Unlike most herring fishes, blackfin wolf-herrings are often found in small groups rather than large schools. However, schooling maybe more prevalent in this species during its larval stage to avoid predation.

Food / Feed Strategy: As a carnivorous fish, blackfin wolf-herrings prey mainly on other members of the order Clupeiformes, as well as members of the class Cephalopoda (octopus and squid). Sardines, however, are preferred prey of this species, particularly Sardinella albella and Sardinella gibbosa. Juveniles also display this carnivorous behavior, feeding on small shrimp, post-larvae, and early juvenile fish. The diet of blackfin wolf-herrings is seasonally consistent. As they feed primarily during the day, members of this genus g.

Chirocentrus are thought to rely on sight to hunt.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: caragiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Chirocentrus Dorab: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Chirocentrus_dorab/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 7

Common Name: Pike Scientific Name: Centropomus undecimalis Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Centropomidae

Geography / Habitat: Common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, range from the coastal mid-Atlantic regions of the United States through the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean to parts of Central and South America. Common snook have been documented as far north as Pamlico Sound, North Carolina and as far south as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They are particularly abundant around coastal Florida.

Life Strategy: Common snook, as amphidromous fish, often move between fresh and salt water throughout their life. Common snook congregate seasonally in saltwater near the mouths of rivers, inlets, and canals in order to spawn. Common snook are considered social in that they are often found in groups, especially during times of spawning.

Food / Feed Strategy: Common snook are pelagic feeders. Daily feeding peaks occurrs 2 hours before sunrise and 2 to 3 hours after sunset. Their feeding behavior is affected by the tidal cycle, and feeding activity noticeably increases with an increase in water flow following a period of standing flood or ebb tides. Common snook are voracious predators and opportunistic carnivores. They primarily feed on other pelagic fish, though diet varies with habitat type. Juveniles generally inhabit freshwater habitats, and their diet primarily consists of palaemonid shrimp, microcrustaceans, copepods and mosquitofish.

 Body Form or Style: sagittiform  Swim / Locomotion Style: subcaragiform  Mouth Position: terminal Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Centropomus Undecimalis: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Centropomus_undecimalis/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 8

Common Name: Blue tang Scientific Name: Paracanthurus hepatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat: Common surgeon, Paracanthurus hepatus, are strictly marine fish that typically inhabit tropical coral reefs in waters with a strong current. They may move seasonally, occurring at higher latitudes when water temperatures allow. Generally, common surgeon range between 30° north and south latitude and 32° east to 170° west longitude in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Individuals found in other areas are presumed to have been released from aquaria.

Life Strategy: Although common surgeon are occasionally observed individually, most are found in pairs or small groups. In the reef, they school for protection. A group of fish, each possessing a sharp and venomous caudal spine is potentially problematic to predators; very few predators swim into the middle of a school of surgeonfish to feed off the members of the group. Common surgeon aggregate with other genera of surgeonfish, includingAcanthurus, Ctenochaetus, Naso, Zebrasoma, and Prionurus.

Food / Feed Strategy: Common surgeon are herbivorous. Unlike many marine fish, common surgeon rely only slightly on plankton. Instead, they graze on algae, using their small teeth to pull algae from rocks and coral. Fish of this species also feed on microalgae, other marine plants, and zooplankton.

 Body Form or Style: depressiform  Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform  Mouth Position: terminal Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Paracanthurus Hepatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Paracanthurus_hepatus/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 9

Common Name: Brown sucker; Common remora Scientific Name: Remora remora Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Echeneidae

Geography / Habitat: Common in warmer parts of all oceans.Western Mediterranean and Atlantic from the North Sea southwards. The Remora is a pelagic marine fish that is usually found in the warmer parts of most oceans clinging on to large sharks, sea turtles, bony fishes and other marine mammals.

Life Strategy: The Remora is most often found offshore in the warmer parts of all oceans attached to sharks and other marine fishes and mammals (Unesco 1989). Based on observations of the species in captivity, Remora remorarequires a swift passage of water over the gills and cannot survive in still waters (Bohlke and Chaplin 1993).The Remora is not considered to be a parasite, despite its being attached to the host. Instead they are considered to have a commensal relationship with their host, since they do not hurt the host and are just along for the ride.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Remora clings to a host, such as large sharks, sea turtles, bony fishes, rays, and marine mammals.The Remora has long been thought to detach itself from its host and dart around feeding on its scraps (Herald 1962). It was later felt that ectoparasites on the host's body or gill chambers formed an important part of their diet.

Recently it was shown that both of these are utilized as food sources and that planktonic organisms and fish may also be part of the Remora's diet.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcaragiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Remora Remora: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Remora_remora/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 10

Common Name: Anchovies Scientific Name: Engraulis mordax Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Clupeiformes

Family: Engraulidae

Geography / Habitat: Northern anchovy are found off the west coast of North America, from Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia, Canada, to Cabo San Lucas in Baja California, Mexico, and in the Gulf of California.

Life Strategy: Northern anchovies create large schools, which aids in antipredator defense and finding prey. Adult northern anchovies typically attack prey only once and rarely make a second attempt. Swimming and feeding behavior is dependent on a number of different factors including temperature, developmental stage, and where they are distributed in the water column. Northern anchovies perform seasonal migrations, moving to deeper, offshore waters during winter, and returning to shallow, coastal waters for spring.

Food / Feed Strategy: Northern anchovies feed upon krill, copepods, and decapod larvae, and collect food via filter feeding and active predation. When filter feeding, water and zooplankton pass through its large gaping mouth as it swims. Water passing over the gills is strained through long, finely-separated gill rakers, which collect particulate organic matter, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. Apart from nonselective filter feeding, northern anchovies have also been observed 'pecking' at larger prey.

 Body Form or Style: sagittiform  Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform  Mouth Position: terminal Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Engraulis Mordax: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Engraulis_mordax/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 11

Common Name: Common eel Scientific Name: Anguilla anguilla Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Anguilliformes

Family: Anguillidae

Geography / Habitat: The geographic range of adult European eels includes the English Channel and coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and northern Atlantic Ocean from Iceland to Mauritania (Ringuet et al., 2002). Their range also encompasses the Baltic and North Seas, as well as all accessible continental or coastal hydrosystems (Ringuet et al., 2002). In the early spring months, European eels migrate to the Sargasso sea for breeding. Larvae are hatched from the Sargasso Sea and can also be found along the coast of Europe. Silver (juvenile) stage eels of Anguilla anguilla live in tributaries along the European coast.

Life Strategy: European eels are essentially a solitary species. Although numerous eels can be found in a single location, there is no evidence that any form of schooling is present (Suzuki et al, 2003). European eels migrate to various regions during different stages of their life. They transport themselves by actively swimming with ocean currents (Deelder, 1970). European eels are active mainly during the day.

Food / Feed Strategy: European eels have completely different diets during different life stages. No food contents have ever been discovered in the guts of leptocephali, therefore their diet is unknown (Fisheries Global Information System, 2005). Glass eels consume insect larvae, dead fish, and small crustaceans (Sinha and Jones, 1975). Adult eels have a fairly broad diet and eat freshwater, marine, or terrestrial fauna. Their primary food source is aquatic invertebrates, but they will eat essentially any food they can find-- even dead organisms.

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Body Form or Style: anguilliform Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Anguilla Anguilla: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Anguilla_anguilla/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 12

Common Name: Banana fish Scientific Name: Albula vulpes Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Albuliformes

Family: Albulidae

Geography / Habitat: Bonefish are found in warm tropical waters from the southern coast of Florida, through the Bahamas and along the eastern coast of South America. Bonefish can also be found in the Pacific Ocean from coastal California to Peru in South America.

This range is roughly from 35 degrees north to 15 degrees south of the equator. Although bonefish are typically found in warmer climates, there have been reports of sightings into northern portions of the Atlantic coast in the United States.

Life Strategy: Bonefish are a social species, often found in shallow water in small schools of just a few fish, but have been found in much larger schools of over 75 individuals. Bonefish do not have a defined home range.

Food / Feed Strategy: Bonefish are predators and consume a variety of prey. They feed on many small mollusks and crustaceans in shallow water. The majority of their diet consists of small crabs, fish, and shrimp, including xanthid and portunid crabs, toadfish, and snapping and penaeid shrimp (Crabtree et al., 1998). Bonefish normally school, but break into smaller groups to feed.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Albula Vulpes: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Albula_vulpes/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 13

Common Name: Common fangtooth Scientific Name: Anoplogaster cornuta Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Beryciformes

Family: Anoplogastridae Geography / Habitat: Anoplogaster cornuta is found worldwide in tropical to temperate and subartctic seas, specifically within the range 65°N - 46°S, 180°W - 180°E. It is typically reported as a temperate to tropical species, though it has also been documented in the subarctic waters of the Pacific and Western Atlantic. It is native to at least 48 countries across the globe, and is found in regions such as Azores Exclusive Economic Zone, European waters, the Gulf of Mexico, Madagascar, Mozambique, New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone, the north West Atlantic, South Africa, and the Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone.

Life Strategy: Anoplogaster cornuta is highly mobile and is an aggressive hunter relative to other deep-sea species. They can either be found swimming alone or in schools. Many teleost fish share the same general mechanism of gill ventilation, with a buccal force pump and an opercular suction pump working together to maintain a consistent flow of water through the mouth and over the gills.

Food / Feed Strategy: Anoplogaster cornuta is carnivorous. Juveniles feed on crustaceans, while adults feed primarily on fish and shrimp. They have been observed to feed on fish one-third their size, necessitating the mechanism of reversed direction ventilation when feeding. Their large size allows them to swallow most prey whole. Due to their high mobility relative to other pelagic teleosts, it has been speculated that they are aggressive hunters.

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Body Form or Style: depressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Anoplogaster Cornuta: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Anoplogaster_cornuta/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 14

Common Name: Flounder Scientific Name: Bothus lunatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Pleuronectiformes

Family: Bothidae Geography / Habitat: Peacock flounders, Bothus lunatus, live in the West Atlantic Ocean in both tropical and subtropical regions. They are found off the coasts of Florida, Bermuda, and down the coast of South America to Brazil. They have also been recorded in the Central Atlantic near the shelf of Ascension and the St. Helen Islands as well as in the Eastern Atlantic in the Gulf of Guinea.

Life Strategy: Male flounders have distinct territories that do not overlap. Each male defends its own territory and exhibits defensive behavior when other males enter their claimed area. Males chase off intruders and display aggressive behavior toward other males. Females, however, do not usually display aggressive behavior. Females do not have the same types of territories, but rather have designated subunits that are smaller in area.

Daytime territories are not the same as night retirement sites for members of either sex.

Males retire closer to shore and females in deeper water, returning to their daytime territories early in the morning.

Food / Feed Strategy: Adult peacock flounders are restricted to feeding on other benthic organisms. They are active predators, mostly eating other fish; however, peacock flounders can also feed on marine invertebrates, such as crustaceansand sometimes octopi.

 Body Form or Style: depressiform  Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform  Mouth Position: terminal Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Bothus Lunatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Bothus_lunatus/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 15

Common Name: Copper rockfish Scientific Name: Sebastes caurinus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Scorpaeniformes

Family: Sebastidae

Geography / Habitat: Copper rockfish are found in waters along the Pacific coast \\ranging from Baja, California up to Kehui, Alaska. They are common in the waters of British Columbia and in Puget Sound. Copper rockfish are demersal, preferring the ocean bottom near low-profile rocks and reefs. The range of water depths they inhabit is relatively broad, from 10 to 183 meters, and the fish are found in shallower water during upwelling.

Life Strategy: Adult copper rockfish are highly residential and remain near their home site. Although they are a solitary species and usually seen alone, they are sometimes present in mixed aggregates with other species. Individual fish display agnostic behavior to show "protective territoriality".

Food / Feed Strategy: Copper rockfish are opportunistic carnivores that feed mainly on organisms present near the ocean floor, usually crabs, mollusks and other fish. They feed during the day as well as at night. Often the prey varies with the season with crabs eaten more often in winter and early spring. Large copper rockfish tend to be aggressive feeders and sometimes prey on Squalus acanthias, a small shark species.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Sebastes Caurinus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Sebastes_caurinus/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 16

Common Name: Blue cod Scientific Name: Ophiodon elongatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Scorpaeniformes

Family: Hexagrammidae

Geography / Habitat: Ophiodon elongatus is native to the west coast of North America, from the Shumagin Islands in the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California, Mexico. Highest densities are found off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. Lingcod are coastal fish that occupy submerged banks with dense communities of algae, and channels with strong currents flowing over and around rocky reefs. They avoid muddy and sandy bottoms, and stagnant areas.

Life Strategy: Lingcod are solitary, benthic fish and spend most of their time resting within holes or crevices amongst rocks. Lingcod's cryptic coloration helps it to blend into its rocky surroundings, where it lies in wait to ambush any prey that swims by. Lingcod have also been seen moving into shallower waters at night to feed.

Food / Feed Strategy: Lingcod are ambush predators that eat anything that can fit in their mouths, especially fish and large invertebrates. Lingcod exhibit cannibalism and prey on various species of salmon and rockfish as well as Pacific herring and octopus.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Ophiodon Elongatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Ophiodon_elongatus/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 17

Common Name: Giant sunfish Scientific Name: Mola mola Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Tetraodontiformes

Family: Molidae Geography / Habitat: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola, are found in the temperate and tropical regions of the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans (Wheeler, 1969; Sims and Southall, 2002; Houghton et al., 2006). They are commonly observed off the coast of Southern California, Indonesia, the British Isles, the Northern and Southern Isles of New Zealand, the southern coasts of Africa, and in the Mediterranean and occasionally in the North Sea. Life Strategy: Ocean sunfish are generally solitary, although they are found in groups when being cleaned by other fish. Ocean sunfish use their dorsal and anal fins as their primary means of locomotion. They flap these fins in a synchronous motion, which also allows them to swim on their side (Hutchins, 2004). They occasionally swim near the surface, exposing their top fin, and may even jump out of the water in an apparent effort to detach parasites. Ocean sunfish have been observed repeated diving below the thermocline during the day, possibly to forage for zooplankton that migrate vertically Food / Feed Strategy: Ocean sunfish primarily feed on jellyfish and gelatinous zooplankton, such as ctenophores, salps, and medusae. They have also been known to eat soft bodied invertebrates, crustaceans, mollusks, seaweed, eel larvae, and even flounder (Wheeler, 1969). Ocean sunfish are thought to migrate to higher latitudes in response to zooplankton migrations during the spring and summer months.

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Body Form or Style: depressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Mola Mola: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Mola_mol a/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 18

Common Name: Blackfinned clownfish Scientific Name: Amphiprion percula Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae Geography / Habitat: True clown anemonefishes (Amphiprion percula) are native only to the Indo-Pacific Region (Rosenberg and Cruz, 1988). The species ranges from Northern Queensland to Melanesia, which comprises New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

Life Strategy: In anemonefishes particular attention has been given to behavioral components of the symbiotic relationship with sea anemones. Reliance on a host has effects at every particular life stage. A. percula lays its eggs under the overhang of an anemone’s tentacles (leeward side). Arvedlund et al. (2000) believed that this was a predatordeterrence and an olfactory imprinting mechanism. The latter plays an important role in directing juveniles to the appropriate sea anemone species later on. With a leeward placement, a maximum amount of imprinting mucous can transfer between the tentacles and eggs.

Food / Feed Strategy: A. percula feeds mainly on zooplankton, such as copepods and larval tunicates. Possibly, it consumes algae from the surrounding coral reef or even leftover food portions from its host anemone. The former strategy is commonly used by A. perideraion (Fautin and Allen, 1992). Frequently, A. percula will carry large pieces of food to its host anemone, presumably to store it for later use. The anemone, however, devours the accessible food item in most cases.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Amphiprion Percula: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Amphiprion_percula/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 19

Common Name: Mandarin-fish Scientific Name: Synchiropus splendidus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Callionymidae Geography / Habitat: Synchiropus splendidus is found in much of the western Pacific including the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Guinea (Delbeek, 1989). These fish are also found in the Ryukyu Islands (Randall et al. 1990). Outside of its native range, S. splendidus is primarly a marine aquarium fish.

Life Strategy: Mandarin fish are slow, shy, and mostly passive. They have large fan-like pelvic fins which are used often to walk along the bottom. Mandarin fish are found usually in groups or in pairs on reefs. In captivity, mandarin fish are rather intolerant of conspecifics. Two males will not survive together in an aquarium due to their agressive behavior towards each other (Delbeek 1989). During daylight hours, mandarin fish move along coral branches or hide in their home crevices.

Food / Feed Strategy: Mandarin fish feed on the bottom. They eat small crustaceans such as amphipods and isopods, small worms and protozoans. Much of its food intake is found living in the reefs and other live rock. If there is a substantial amount of live rock, mandarin fish do not need any other outside source for food. In captivity, the fish usually do not eat prepared food, therefore it becomes difficult to maintain them. They need a great supply of live rock to feed. Mandarin fish have a relatively small mouth, therefore they eat only small food items.

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Body Form or Style: Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Synchiropus Splendidus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Synchiropus_splendidus/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 20

Common Name: Banded lionfish Scientific Name: Pterois antennata Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Scorpaeniformes

Family: Scorpaenidae Geography / Habitat: Broadbarred firefish (Bloch, 1787) are found in the Indo-West Pacific region. This species ranges from east Africa to the Marquesan and Mangaréva islands and from northern Japan to Queensland, Australia, and can also be found in the waters surrounding the Kermadec and Austral islands.

Life Strategy: Broadbarred firefish are nocturnal fishes that swim by slowly undulating their soft dorsal and anal fins. Although most of the lionfish’s feeding occurs within the first hour of the night, it will remain active and out in the open until daylight. Once daylight occurs, individuals retreat within the shelter of coral and rocks. In these areas the species exhibits a nearly motionless posture, with the head tilted slightly downward, with the venomous dorsal spines pointing towards the entrance of the crevice. This species congregates in small schools as juveniles and while mating. However, they are solitary for the majority of their adult life.

Food / Feed Strategy: Broadbarred firefish are important predators in many coral reef environments, feeding mostly on crustaceans, as well as other invertebrates, and small fishes, including juveniles of their own species. They are known to feed on juveniles of many commercially fished species, like Lutjanus campechanus (red snapper), Plectropomus leopardus (coral trout), and Stenopus hispidus (banded coral shrimp).

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Body Form or Style: depressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Pterois Antennata: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pterois_antennata/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 21

Common Name: Asian seabass Scientific Name: Lates calcarifer Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Latidae Geography / Habitat: Lates calcarifer, known as barramundi, barramundi perch, giant sea perch, or Asian sea bass, is native to coastal areas in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. This includes coastal Australia, Southeast and Eastern Asia, and India (Luna, 2008). According to Luna, this distribution is Indo-West Pacific.

Life Strategy: Catadromous barramundi populations move seasonally between breeding and feeding grounds. Immediately after hatching as plankton, Lates calcarifer larvae make their way from the mouths of estuaries into brackish or freshwater swamps or mangroves where they are protected from predators. The developing fish tend to stay in the swamps from February to April, before moving into permanent tidal creeks for another nine months. After the nine months have past, juvenile barramundi make their way into freshwater estuaries to further develop.

Food / Feed Strategy: Barramundi are opportunistic predators. They eat microcrustaceans such as copepods and amphipods as juvenile fish under 40 mm. As larger juveniles they eat macrocrustaceans like Penaeidae and Palaemonidae. These crustacean prey are found mainly near the bottom of the water column, so this diet also protects juveniles from most of their predators, which hunt closer to the water surface. Mollusks are consumed to a lesser degree. When barramundi are around 80 mm, they begin to eat macrocrustaceans and pelagic bony fishes.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lates Calcarifer: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Lates_calcarifer/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 22

Common Name: Atlantic thresher Scientific Name: Alopias vulpinus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Lamniformes

Family: Alopiidae Geography / Habitat: Common thresher sharks, Alopias vulpinus, are found in tropical and temperate temperate waters in almost every major ocean. They are found along the coast of North America from Oregon to Mexico in the Pacific Ocean and from Maine to Florida in the Atlantic Ocean. Common thresher sharks are also commonly found around Asia and occasionally in the central and western Pacific Ocean. Although little is known about the migration of this species, fishing records suggest that they move north, away from the equator, during summer months and that they move south, toward the equator, during winter months.

Life Strategy: Common thresher sharks are solitary. Because they are migratory animals, common threshers are considered to be free-range predators. Little is known about their exact migratory path, but evidence suggests they travel south (toward the equator) to warmer waters during the winter and north (away from the equator) to cooler waters during the summer.

Food / Feed Strategy: Like most sharks, common thresher sharks are carnivores and feed mainly on small fish that travel in schools. Thresher sharks use their enlarged caudal fin as a means to herd schools of fish into tightly packed balls to maximize strike success.

Common threshers eat a variety of fish, including sardines, and different species of anchovies, mackerel, hake, squid and red crab from deep waters. In warmer waters, members of this species feed primarily on anchovies, but in cooler waters they feed mostly on squid and sardines.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: thunniform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Alopias Vulpinus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Alopias_vulpinus/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 23

Common Name: Blue ring angelfish Scientific Name: Pomacanthus annularis Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacanthidae

Geography / Habitat: Pomacanthus annularis live in the Indo-Pacific region ranging from Sri Lanka to the Solomon Islands and from the Philippines to the northern tip of Australia.

Normally this range is from 25 degrees north to 25 degrees south.

Life Strategy: Pomacanthus annularis live in the Indo-Pacific region ranging from Sri Lanka to the Solomon Islands and from the Philippines to the northern tip of Australia.

Normally this range is from 25 degrees north to 25 degrees south.

Food / Feed Strategy: P. annularis are omnivorous, eating benthic invertebrates such as zooplankton, sponges, tunicates and coral polyps. Also these fish eat ascidians, algae, weeds, and nektonic fishes.

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Body Form or Style: depressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Pomacanthus Annularis: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pomacanthus_annularis/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 24

Common Name: Sleepers Scientific Name: Eleotridae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Eleotridae

Geography / Habitat: Eleotrids can be found worldwide between the 40th parallels (tropical and subtropical regions), reaching farther south in New Zealand. They occur on five continents and are common in the islands of the Indo-Pacific.

Life Strategy: Eleotrids earned their common name, “sleeper,” for their habit of remaining still on the bottom or positioned near an object in the water while they wait for prey. When chasing prey, however, they can perform very quick movements. Some, such as Hypseleotris klunzingeri, form dense schools in midwater. Many eleotrids occupy habitats that can become low in oxygen (hypoxic), and some can breathe air through the skin on the front of the head. When Dormitator latifrons encounters hypoxic waters, oxygen begins to fill the gas bladder and the top surface of the head begins to fill with a thick bed of capillaries.

Food / Feed Strategy: Eleotrids are carnivores that feed on crustaceans and other benthic invertebrates, small fishes, and insects. Many species pass through a marine larval stage during which they feed on plankton.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Eleotridae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Eleotridae/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 25

Common Name: Doctorfish Scientific Name: Anarrhichthys ocellatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Anarhichadidae

Geography / Habitat: Wolf-eels are found in the temperate North Pacific in coastal waters from the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan to the Aleutian islands and along the western coast of North America to Baja California.

Life Strategy: Wolf-eels remain in their rock crevices during the day and emerge to forage at night. They roam widely looking for fish and invertebrate prey, but have a great deal of site fidelity - returning to the daytime dens and inhabiting them for long periods of time.

Vacated dens are rapidly inhabited by other wolf-eels, though, so they may patrol potential den sites regularly. They seem to be territorial, aggressively defending their den area.

Wolf-eels are occasionally caught by hook and line anglers, so there may be some limited daytime activity.

Food / Feed Strategy: Wolf-eels use their robust jaws and teeth to eat hard-shelled invertebrates, such as crabs up to 114 mm in width, snails, sand dollars, sea urchins, mussels, clams, and abalone, especially Haliotis kamtschatkana. In the Monterey area the dominant food items are slender crabs (Cancer gracilis) and sand dollars (Dendraster excentricus). Wolf-eels occasionally eat fish as well, although they seem best able to capture slow-moving prey.

Body Form or Style: anguilliform ď&#x201A;ˇ Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform ď&#x201A;ˇ Mouth Position: terminal Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Anarrhichthys Ocellatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Anarrhichthys_ocellatus/>.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 26

Common Name: Gobies Scientific Name: Gobiidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Gobiidae

Geography / Habitat: Gobies are found worldwide in fresh, brackish and saltwater. They are concentrated in the tropics and subtropics, mainly of the Indo-Pacific, but some marine species can be found in the subarctic streams of southern Siberia. Gobies have been transported beyond their natural range via the intake pipes or ballast water of large ships.

Life Strategy: Nearly all gobies are benthic (bottom-dwelling) but in some groups (Iglossus, Nemateleotris) individuals hover just above the bottom, seldom moving very far from shelter. Many male gobies are extremely aggressive towards invading males but exhibit a much more relaxed behavior in response to females entering their territory.

Pheromones are thought to play a pivotal role in this recognition. The various forms of social hierarchies found in gobies are discussed in Reproduction above.

Food / Feed Strategy: Gobies are classified as zooplanktivores, omnivores, and carnivores, as they feed on a wide variety of small organisms like crabs, shrimps, smaller crustaceans (such as copepods, amphipods, and ostracods), mollusks, annelids, polychaetes, formaninferans, sponges, small fishes, and eggs of various invertebrates and fishes.

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Gobiidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 27

Common Name: Bullhead Scientific Name: Heterodontus portusjacksoni Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Heterodontiformes

Family: Heterodontidae

Geography / Habitat: Heterodontus portusjacksoni is one of the better known species of horn sharks (Heterodontus). It was named after Port Jackson in Sydney Harbour. They are found from southern coastal Australia to the central coast of Western Australia. Some have been found as far north as York Sound in Western Australia. According to studies of the genetics of the Port Jackson sharks, there are two different populations found in different regions that extend the length of the southern part of Australia.

Life Strategy: Port Jackson sharks segregate into same-sex groups. Males and females may occupy different habitats during most parts of the year. Males and females encounter each other only briefly during breeding. Port Jackson sharks are mainly active at night, when their prey are active, and rest in crevices and under rock outcroppings during the day.

Food / Feed Strategy: Port Jackson sharks feed primarily on invertebrates, mainly echinoderms. They eat sea urchins, starfish, polychaetes, large gastropods, prawns, crabs, barnacles, and small fishes. Juveniles, with their smaller, more pointed teeth, apparently take more soft-bodied prey than adults. Food items in stomachs are usually broken into small pieces, which show how the powerful molar-like teeth grind the food.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Heterodontus Portusjacksoni: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 28

Common Name: Banana Scientific Name: Albula vulpes Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Albuliformes

Family: Albulidae

Geography / Habitat: Bonefish are found in warm tropical waters from the southern coast of Florida, through the Bahamas and along the eastern coast of South America. Bonefish can also be found in the Pacific ocean from coastal California to Peru in South America.

This range is roughly from 35 degrees north to 15 degrees south of the equator. Although bonefish are typically found in warmer climates, there have been reports of sightings into northern portions of the Atlantic coast in the United States.

Life Strategy: Bonefish are a social species, often found in shallow water in small schools of just a few fish, but have been found in much larger schools of over 75 individuals.

Food / Feed Strategy: Bonefish are predators and consume a variety of prey. They feed on many small mollusks and crustaceans in shallow water. The majority of their diet consists of small crabs, fish, and shrimp, including xanthid andportunid crabs, toadfish, and snapping and penaeid shrimp (Crabtree et al., 1998). Bonefish normally school, but break into smaller groups to feed.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Albula Vulpes: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes Common Name: Elfin shark Scientific Name: Mitsukurina owstoni

Species #: 29

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Lamniformes

Family: Mitsukurinidae

Geography / Habitat: Originally caught in Japan, the range is wide, but not evenly distributed. The majority of known specimens come from bays of Japan while the rest are mostly found off New Zealand, southern Africa, and in the Eastern Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Two specimens have been taken off the Mississippi and California coasts of the United States. Though this probably encompasses the range of Mitsukurina owstoni, sightings are so rare and widespread that the presence of goblin sharks could extend well beyond these areas.

Life Strategy: Due to its morphology, it is assumed that Mitsukurina owstoni is rather sluggish and accomplishes most of its hunting by swimming lazily or waiting for vertically migrating animals to come within striking distance. The protruding jaws allow substantial bites, but otherwise, Mitsukurina owstoni is not a fast or active predator.

Food / Feed Strategy: Mitsukurina owstoni appears to feed mid-water or close to the bottom where it uses a combination of electrical sensors, smell and (minimal) eyesight to catch any vertically migrating animals that it comes across. It is also possible that they stay deep and scan the bottom for prey. Stomach records are rare, and include parts of squid, fish, ostracods, and crabs.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Mitsukurina Owstoni: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 30

Common Name: Frill shark Scientific Name: Chlamydoselachus anguineus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Hexanchiformes

Family: Chlamydoselachidae

Geography / Habitat: Frilled sharks are wide ranging. They have been found almost worldwide, including the eastern Atlantic coast of northern Norway, the western Indian Ocean near South Africa, the western Pacific near New Zealand, and the eastern Pacific near the coast of Chile.

Life Strategy: Chlamydoselachus anguineus is a slow-moving, deep water shark. They are among the slowest of shark species. Like most sharks, they are solitary.

Food / Feed Strategy: Because of their sharp, cuspidate teeth, it is thought that their primary foods are small deep-water fishes, and squid (Taylor et al., 2002). Because frilled sharks live on the ocean floor, they may also feed on carrion floating down from the surface.

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Chlamydoselachus Anguineus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 31

Common Name: Clinids Scientific Name: Clinidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Clinidae

Geography / Habitat: Clinids primarily occur along temperate coasts in both northern and southern hemispheres. Many species are found in the waters of southern Australia and southern Africa, where they have in many regions become the dominant intertidal fishes.

They also inhabit areas of the Bahamas, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific coast of the United States.

Life Strategy: Most clinids are territorial. They tend to be bottom dwellers and associate with seaweed, moving within an environment to which their coloring is adapted. Their coloring often changes during spawning. Males and females meet in order to spawn, with the male serving an active role in chasing away other fish, and he may stimulate her to continue spawning by touching her abdomen. In the Bahamas Hemiemblemaria swims freely with schools of wrasse, mimicking them.

Food / Feed Strategy: Clinids are primarily carnivorous bottom-feeders who consume small fishes and invertebrates from worms to crustaceans.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Clinidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 32

Common Name: Black moray Scientific Name: Gymnothorax funebris Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Anguilliformes

Family: Muraenidae

Geography / Habitat: Gymnothorax funebris, green moray eels, can be found in the western Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Typically, these moray eels range as far north as New Jersey and as far south as Brazil. One individual was reported off the coast of Nova Scotia. Experts speculate that this animal had been carried there by the Gulf Stream. The species is most common in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, the Bahamas, and the Florida Keys. These eels make small migrations to spawning sites.

Life Strategy: This species is solitary and nocturnal. Adults are rarely active outside of feeding and spawning. Larvae, however, must migrate from the spawning site to a suitable habitat. Adults activley hunt fish in caves and crevices along coral reefs or shorelines.

When an eel encounters a fish too large to swallow whole, it wraps itself around its prey in a characteristic knot, allowing for leverage against the fish. It then tears its prey into smaller pieces, which can be swallowed more easily. The larvae are also active predators of zooplankton.

Food / Feed Strategy: Gymnothorax funebris is a dietary generalist. It readily consumes most species of fish, so long as they are small enough to swallow whole or can be ripped into manageable pieces. Green morays will also prey oncrustaceans and cephalopods.

Larvae prey on diatoms, smaller crustaceans, and other zooplankton.

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Gymnothorax Funebris: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 33

Common Name: Rabbitfishes Scientific Name: Siganidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Siganidae

Geography / Habitat: Siganids are naturally confined to the tropical Indo-Pacific, but are now found in the eastern Mediterranean as well. Siganus rivulatus is at least one species that has been able to penetrate from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, where it is now locally common.

Life Strategy: Siganids are commonly known as rabbitfishes partly because of their peaceful temperament. They are diurnal herbivores, hiding in reef crevices during nighttime and browsing over reefs to feed during the day. Some species school while others browse individually among corals.

Food / Feed Strategy: Most siganids are herbivorous and feed on phytoplankton or attached algae.

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Body Form or Style: depressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Siganidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 34

Common Name: South American lungfish Scientific Name: Lepidosiren paradoxa Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Sarcopterygii

Order: no order

Family: Lepidosirenidae

Geography / Habitat: Lepidosiren paradoxa is found in the neotropics of South America, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.

Life Strategy: Lepidosiren paradoxa is a solitary species. They live by themselves in burrows that they construct in swamps or lakes (Alves-Gomes et al., 2003). They are mostly inactive, laying in the muddy or shallow water close to the surface in order to breathe.

Other behaviors, such as social structures and interaction with other species are largely unknown due to the lack of research on this species.

Food / Feed Strategy: Lepidosiren paradoxa eat a variety of food items including some bony fish, algae and weeds, terrestrial plants (stems), shrimp, insects, clams, and snails (Berra, 2001). They are primarily carnivorous. Juveniles, which are strictly aquatic, feed on larval insects and snails.

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lepidosiren Paradoxa: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 35

Common Name: Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes Scientific Name: Acanthuridae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat: Acanthurids are exclusively marine-dwelling and can be found in all tropical and subtropical seas but are absent from the Mediterranean.

Life Strategy: A key behavior in acanthurids is intraspecific competition between males when defending harems or territory. Males circle each other warily with scalpels pointed towards the opposing male during combat. As discussed above, acanthurids are organized in a wide variety of social systems at different times. They may be found in monogamous pairs, small foraging units, harems, or enormous spawning or feeding groups. During feeding, hordes of acanthurids descend on the reef so that attempts by bottom-dwellers to defend their territory are thwarted.

Food / Feed Strategy: Acanthurids have small mouths and incisor-like, lobate teeth used to probe the reef for small animals (zooplankton) and plants. Acanthurids are diurnal fishes, seeking cover at night, and most are herbivorous except one genus, Naso (unicornfish), which is planktivorous. Some herbivorous species may have heavy-walled gizzard-like stomachs as they pick up large quantities of coral and sand when feeding on short algal growths on the sea bottom.

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Body Form or Style: depressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Acanthuridae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 36

Common Name: Lemon sailfin Scientific Name: Zebrasoma flavescens Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat: Yellow tangs, Zebrasoma flavescens, are reef fish found in the waters west of Hawaii and east of Japan in the Pacific Ocean. They mainly live off the coast of Hawaii, but are also found in the more western ranges of their habitat, including the islands Ryukyu, Mariana, Marshall, Marcus, and Wake. They prefer subtropical waters.

Life Strategy: Juvenile yellow tangs are often territorial. This trait usually diminishes as the fish mature and start to roam wider areas of the reef. Adult tangs live singly or in small, loose groups. These groups sometimes contain other species of fish, like sailfin tang.

Yellow tangs are diurnal. During the day, tangs move from place to place, grazing on algae; at night, they generally rest alone in coral reef crevices.

Food / Feed Strategy: Yellow tangs have a long, down-turned mouth with small teeth that are specialized for grazing on algae. Because they are mainly herbivores, they spend a large amount of their time grazing either alone or in groups. A large portion of their diet consists of uncalcified and filamentous algae that grows on coral reefs. In addition to smaller types of algae, yellow tangs feed on macroalgae, such as seaweed. Yellow tangs will also eat some types of zooplankton.

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Body Form or Style: depressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Zebrasoma Flavescens: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 37

Common Name: Bandang Scientific Name: Chanos chanos Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Gonorynchiformes

Family: Chanidae

Geography / Habitat: Milkfish are native to regions in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Their range spans from the east coast of Africa and Madagascar to the coasts of India and Southeast Asia around Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia, northward to the southern tip of Japan, and eastward into the Pacific Islands.

Life Strategy: The behavior of milkfish is still one of the areas that has yet to be extensively studied. Large schools of milkfish have been seen in nearshore waters with well-developed reefs and in coastal lagoons, suggesting that they are social.

Food / Feed Strategy: Milkfish feed on a variety of foods depending on the type of environment. As larvae they feed on zooplankton. As they develop into juveniles they start to feed on benthic items. The most common food items for juveniles are cynobacteria, diatoms, detritus, green algae, and invertebrates such as small crustaceans and worms.

Adults feed on similar items, and on planktonic and nektonic prey such as clupeid juveniles.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Chanos Chanos: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 38

Common Name: Anchovies Scientific Name: Engraulis mordax Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Clupeiformes

Family: Engraulidae

Geography / Habitat: Northern anchovy are found off the west coast of North America, from Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia, Canada, to Cabo San Lucas in Baja California, Mexico, and in the Gulf of California.

Life Strategy: Northern anchovies create large schools, which aids in antipredator defense and finding prey. Adult northern anchovies typically attack prey only once and rarely make a second attempt. Swimming and feeding behavior is dependent on a number of different factors including temperature, developmental stage, and where they are distributed in the water column. Northern anchovies perform seasonal migrations, moving to deeper, offshore waters during winter, and returning to shallow, coastal waters for spring.

Food / Feed Strategy: Northern anchovies feed upon krill, copepods, and decapod larvae, and collect food via filter feeding and active predation. When filter feeding, water and zooplankton pass through its large gaping mouth as it swims. Water passing over the gills is strained through long, finely-separated gill rakers, which collect particulate organic matter, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. Apart from nonselective filter feeding, northern anchovies have also been observed 'pecking' at larger prey.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Engraulis Mordax: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 39

Common Name: Albacor0065 Scientific Name: Thunnus alalunga Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Scombridae

Geography / Habitat: Albacore reside in the subtropical regions of the North Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea. In the North Pacific, albacore are distributed throughout a region from 10 to 50 degrees north latitude, with migration towards the tropical waters during spring and summer spawning months.

Albacore occupy similar latitudes in the Atlantic Ocean.

Life Strategy: Albacore tuna are highly migratory and move with current systems during seasonal water movements. Albacore travel in large schools of mixed species that include skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna and bluefin tuna. These schools are usually formed round floating objects such as sargassum weeds.

Food / Feed Strategy: The primary diet of albacore includes pacific saury, northern anchovy, crustacean zooplankton, gonatid squid, and Japanese anchovy. Albacore are opportunistic piscivores and their diet varies seasonally depending on location. Anchovy typically constitutes up to 96% of the stomach contents of albacore at any given time.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Thunnus Alalunga: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 40

Common Name: False skunk striped clown Scientific Name: Amphiprion perideraion Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Amphiprion perideraion are distributed throughout tropical regions in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. Their range includes the Gulf of Thailand, Cocos Islands and Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean. In the Indo-Australian Archipelago in the Pacific, they are found from Samoa and Tongo, north to the Ryukyu Islands, Fiji, and Micronesia, extending southward to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Life Strategy: Amphiprion perideraion live in small social groups made up of a dominant female and male, and accessory, non-reproductive males. They are sedentary as adults, remaining within several meters of their host anemone. Juvenile fish rub against their host anemone in order to develop immunity to the anemone toxin. After an immunity is built up, A. perideraion live in the anemone as a source of protection from predators. Anemone fish are active during the day.

Food / Feed Strategy: A. perideraion use suction feeding. The maxilla pushes the premaxilla forward, which causes an area of low pressure inside the mouth, resulting in suction.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Amphiprion Perideraion: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 41

Common Name: Bluntnose sevengill shark Scientific Name: Notorynchus cepedianus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Hexanchiformes

Family: Hexanchidae

Geography / Habitat: With the exception of the northern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, broadnose sevengill sharks can be found in all oceans. The distribution extends from Southern Brazil to Northern Argentina in the Southwestern region of the Atlantic Ocean, from Nambia to South Africa in the Southeastern region of the Atlantic Ocean, from Southern Japan to New Zealand in the Western Pacific zone, and from Canada to Chile in the Eastern Pacific Region.

Life Strategy: Little is known about the migratory behaviors of N. cepedianus. They seem to associate in groups with other individuals of the same sex and similar size. Their movements in bays seems to be correlated with tides. In the spring and summer seasons, N. cepedianus move into bays and estuaries to mate and give birth. They leave in the fall.

Food / Feed Strategy: An opportunistic predator, N. cepedianus feeds on many prey including sharks, rays, chimeras, dolphins, porpoises, seals, bony fish such as salmon, sturgeon, herring, anchovies and mammalian carrion, including rats and humans. N. cepedianus has many adaptations and tactics to catch prey. They hunt in groups and ambush prey by sneaking up on them and attacking at high speed.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Notorynchus Cepedianus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 42

Common Name: Convict surgeon Scientific Name: Acanthurus triostegus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat: Convict tangs are found throughout the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the eastern Pacific Ocean from the lower Gulf of California to Panama. They are also known as convict surgeonfish or Manini.

Life Strategy: Convict tangs are often found in schools (large and small) but may also be found individually. While less territorial than other tangs, tank size is still an important consideration for those keeping this species. Convict tangs have been observed in the wild exhibiting tonic immobility (death feigning).

Food / Feed Strategy: Convict tangs are herbivores, grazing on algae found on rocks and corals. Adaptations to their algivorous diet include mouths that are slightly downwardlydirected and flexible, comb-like teeth.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Acanthurus Triostegus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 43

Common Name: American shad Scientific Name: Alosa sapidissima Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Clupeiformes

Family: Clupeidae

Geography / Habitat: American shad, Alosa sapidissima, are restricted to temperate climates and spend the majority of their life in coastal areas of the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. During spawning season, American shad travel to the rivers of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to lay their eggs. American shad are native to the Atlantic Ocean ranging from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the St. Lawrence River in the north to areas of coastal central Florida in the south.

Life Strategy: American shad are social animals that swim in schools. As juveniles travel toward the ocrean, they avoid larger species of fish which may prey on them. As they grow larger and reach the ocean, American shad live in closer proximity to other fish.

Food / Feed Strategy: Juvenile American shad are omnivores with a diet consisting of mostly zooplankton and insect larvae. Juveniles eat more once they have left spawning areas. As they get older, American shad broaden their diet to include small fish, crustaceans, plankton, worms, and occasionally fish eggs. During migration in the late months of winter, American shad eat very little food if any. However, as water temperatures increase in spring, their diet returns to normal.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Alosa Sapidissima: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 44

Common Name: Atlantic bluefin tuna Scientific Name: Thunnus thynnus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Scombridae

Geography / Habitat: Bluefin tuna are distributed throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in subtropical and temperate waters. In the western Atlantic Ocean, they are found from Labrador, in Canada, to northern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico. In the eastern Atlantic Ocean, they are found from Norway to the Canary Islands. In the western Pacific Ocean, they are found from Japan to the Philippines Life Strategy: Bluefin tuna display schooling behavior based on size not species. It is not uncommon to see many different species of similarly sized tuna in a school together.

Schools migrate north during summer months along the coast of Japan and the west coast of the United States. Trans Pacific migrations have been observed. Bluefin tuna have been known to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 60 days. Recent tagging data has shown that individual bluefin tuna frequently make several migrations from the eastern Atlantic to the western Atlantic and back again during the course of a year.

Food / Feed Strategy: Bluefin tuna chase down their prey using their ability to swim at very high speeds. They can also use modified filter feeding to catch small, slow moving organisms. They have also been known to eat kelp. They form feeding aggregations throughout the Atlantic and Pacific outside of the spawning season. Very little feeding occurs during spawning season.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Thunnus Thynnus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 45

Common Name: Combtooth blennies Scientific Name: Blenniidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Blenniidae

Geography / Habitat: Blennies can be found in the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans, in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters throughout the world.

Life Strategy: Blennies tend to be secretive, remaining near the bottom and hiding their eggs in crevices. Some hide in holes and dart out at their prey. Blennies may eat invertebrates or algae, or survive by nipping the skin, scales, or fins of other fish. Some blennies, known as “rock-hoppers,” are able to leap out of the water to cross the rocks between pools. A number of blenniids engage in mimicry. One saber-toothed blenny, Aspidontus taeniatus, mimics the cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus. The blenny is able to approach and take a nip out of large fish that are accustomed to being cleaned by the nearly identical-looking wrasse.

Food / Feed Strategy: Primarily bottom-dwellers, blennies tend to feed on other benthic organisms, both algae and invertebrates. Some are planktivores, some carnivores; others scrape algae off coral and rocks and in the process may be feeding on small organisms that live in association with the algae. Some blennies nip pieces of skin, scales, or fins from larger fish.

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Body Form or Style: anguilliform Swim / Locomotion Style: thunniform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Blenniidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 46

Common Name: Mackerels, tunas, bonitos Scientific Name: Scombridae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Scombridae

Geography / Habitat: Tunas, mackerels, and bonitos can be found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas, with many species traveling periodically into cool temperate waters.

Life Strategy: Most scombrids are schooling fishes, but some can be found singly. They follow a nomadic lifestyle, sometimes making migrations of huge distances. For some groups, migrations are seasonal and may be determined by water temperature. Scombrids are continuous swimmers, and tunas in particular have a unique, efficient swimming style (called thunniform), in which the body remains stiff while the thin tail oscillates quickly.

Some species of bonito (in the genus Sarda) habitually leap clear of the water when pursuing prey.

Food / Feed Strategy: Scombrids are active predators that feed on a wide range of organisms. The diet of a single species may include crabs, shrimps, squids, crustaceans, the larvae of fishes and invertebrates, and fishes several feet long. Some smaller species strain zooplankton through their gill rakers. Tunas feed on a variety of mid-water and surface fishes, with mackerel providing a favorite meal.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Scombridae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 47

Common Name: Blunt-head shark Scientific Name: Triaenodon obesus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Carcharhiniformes

Family: Carcharhinidae

Geography / Habitat: The whitetip reef shark in found in both the Indian and Pacific oceans. They exist as far west as the coasts of South Africa and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean and can be seen as far east as the coasts of Costa Rica and Panama in the Pacific Ocean. They are most prominent in the Indo-Pacific seas and around the southern coast of the Indian sub-continent. Fossils have been found in North Carolina from the Miocene epoch indicating that the shark existed in the Atlantic Ocean several million years ago; however they not currently found in the Atlantic Ocean.

Life Strategy: The whitetip reef shark is a docile, non-aggressive shark. It has the ability to pump water across its gills without moving forward, so it can sit motionless on the sea floor. However the shark prefers the safety and seclusion of caves. They will return to the same cave day after day for several months. Whitetip reef sharks remain in a relatively small area throughout their life. The longest recorded travel over the coarse of a year by an individual is 3 km.

Food / Feed Strategy: Despite the docile nature of this shark during the day, during feeding at night they become very aggressive. It will thrash through coral reefs looking for food.

The whitetip reef shark usually hunts alone but will work with other sharks to pursue prey throughout the coral reefs.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Triaenodon Obesus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 48

Common Name: Gold stripe clown Scientific Name: Premnas biaculeatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Spinecheek anemonefish, Premnas biaculeatus, are found in the Indo-West Pacific, including the coasts of India, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, New Britain, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and northern Queensland.

Life Strategy: Spinecheek anemonefish have a social hierarchy in which fish that occupy the same patch of anemones are ordered in status by size. Generally there is a breeding pair and then 0 to 4 non-breeders. The largest is the female of the group (highest rank), followed by the largest male, who is part of the breeding pair. In the case of the death of the female, the second largest changes from male to female.

Food / Feed Strategy: Spinecheek anemonefish have a diet rich in copepods and planktonic, larval tunicates. They also eat other kinds of plankton and algae.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Premnas Biaculeatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 49

Common Name: Arctic bonito Scientific Name: Katsuwonus pelamis Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Scombridae

Geography / Habitat: Skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, are marine fishes found in most waters all over the world but are rarely seen in the North Sea and have never been caught in the Black Sea. Skipjacks are confined to waters with temperatures above 15 degrees C. Life Strategy: Skipjack tuna are schooling migratory fishes (Collette and Nauen 1983).

They tend to school with each other, other tuna, whales or sharks. They also tend to shoal under objects floating on the surface of the water (World Wide Fund For Nature 1996).

Skipjacks are thought to have a north to south migratory seasonal pattern but there is still some question as to whether or not these tuna migrate with a purpose or use advective movements (Gauldie and Sharp 1996).

Food / Feed Strategy: Katsuwonus pelamis feed predominantly on fishes, crustaceans and mollusks. The wide variety of food items consumed suggests that the skipjack is a highly opportunistic feeder. Feeding activities peak in the early morning and again in the late afternoon (Collette and Nauen 1983). Blackburn and Serventy (1981) found that the major food items in stomachs of skipjacks in Australian waters were euphausids, with various fishes and squid making up a smaller percentage of the stomach contents. Ankenbrandt (1985) also studied the food habits of skipjack tuna.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Katsuwonus Pelamis: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater/ Marine Fishes

Species #: 50

Common Name: American pollack Scientific Name: Pollachius virens Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Gadiformes

Family: Gadidae

Geography / Habitat: Pollachius virens occurs on both sides of the North Atlantic. In the western Atlantic, their distribution is centered between Cape Cod and the Strait of Canso, while in the eastern Atlantic they are mainly found around Iceland, in the North Sea, and off the northern coast of Norway (Steele 1963). Specimens have been found as far south as North Carolina (Coles 1926), although their abundance is very low at the southern edge of their range.

Life Strategy: Pollachius virens occurs on both sides of the North Atlantic. In the western Atlantic, their distribution is centered between Cape Cod and the Strait of Canso, while in the eastern Atlantic they are mainly found around Iceland, in the North Sea, and off the northern coast of Norway (Steele 1963). Specimens have been found as far south as North Carolina (Coles 1926), although their abundance is very low at the southern edge of their range.

Food / Feed Strategy: Food sources differ between life history stages. Larval pollock subsist initially on yolk contained in egg sacks. Small larvae consume larval copepods, while larger larvae consume adult copepods (Steele 1963). Juvenile pollock subsist mainly on crustaceans, particularly the euphausiid Meganyctiphanes norvegica, and to a lesser degree on fish and mollusks.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Pollachius Virens: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 51

Common Name: Freshwater drum Scientific Name: Aplodinotus grunniens Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Sciaenidae Geography / Habitat: Freshwater drum are the only members of the family Sciaenidae that inhabit freshwater. They have a vast distribution range that extends from as far north as the Hudson Bay to their extreme southern range in the Rio Usumacinata Basin of Guatemala. They are found as far east as the western banks of the Appalachian Mountain range in the eastern U.S. and extending as far west as Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. They are considered to be one of the most wide-ranging fish species in North America.

Life Strategy: Freshwater drum congregate in large schools to feed and breed. They are primarily active in feeding at night.

Food / Feed Strategy: Freshwater drum feed on prey at all hours of the night. They peruse the bottom in schools in search of many different items. They generally root around and move rocks and other substrates to flush their prey. Adults feed primarily on aquatic insects such as mayflies, small fish (in particular shad (Alosa) and immature drum) and mollusks. During the early larval stage freshwater drum feed primarily on the larval stages of other fishes. After reaching 12 mm they begin to feed on zooplankton.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Aplodinotus Grunniens: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Aplodinotus_grunniens/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 52

Common Name: Longtail knifefish Scientific Name: Longtail knifefish Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Gymnotiformes

Family: Sternopygidae

Geography / Habitat: Sternopygus macrurus occurs in many freshwater bodies in South America. It is known to inhabit the area from the Magdalena River to the Sao Francisco River and western Ecuador. It is also found in the Catatumbo River and the Amazon in Peru.

Life Strategy: After four days, the Sternopygus macrurus embryos hatch from the eggs.

Seven days later, the larvae make their first feeding. The fish reaches sexual maturity at the age of one year. Mature males are territorial. The species is considered harmless to humans.

Food / Feed Strategy: Sternopygus macrurus is a predator of small invertebrates. Its diet is mainly composed of aquatic insect larvae.

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcaragiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Sternopygus Macrurus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Sternopygus_macrurus/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 53

Common Name: Sleepers Scientific Name: Eleotridae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Eleotridae

Geography / Habitat: Eleotrids can be found worldwide between the 40th parallels (tropical and subtropical regions), reaching farther south in New Zealand. They occur on five continents and are common in the islands of the Indo-Pacific.

Life Strategy: Eleotrids earned their common name, “sleeper,” for their habit of remaining still on the bottom or positioned near an object in the water while they wait for prey. When chasing prey, however, they can perform very quick movements. Some, such as Hypseleotris klunzingeri, form dense schools in midwater. Many eleotrids occupy habitats that can become low in oxygen (hypoxic), and some can breathe air through the skin on the front of the head. When Dormitator latifrons encounters hypoxic waters, oxygen begins to fill the gas bladder and the top surface of the head begins to fill with a thick bed of capillaries.

Food / Feed Strategy: Eleotrids are carnivores that feed on crustaceans and other benthic invertebrates, small fishes, and insects. Many species pass through a marine larval stage during which they feed on plankton.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcaragiforn Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Eleotridae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Eleotridae/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes Common Name: Gobies Scientific Name: Gobiidae Kingdom: Animalia

Species #: 54

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Gobiidae Geography / Habitat: Gobies are found worldwide in fresh, brackish and saltwater. They are concentrated in the tropics and subtropics, mainly of the Indo-Pacific, but some marine species can be found in the subarctic streams of southern Siberia. Gobies have been transported beyond their natural range via the intake pipes or ballast water of large ships.

One species, Neogobius melanostomus, a native of the Black and Caspian Seas, was introduced into one of the Great Lakes in North America around 1990 and has since spread into all five. Between 1960 and 1963 two marine gobies native to Japan, Korea, and China had established populations along the California coastline and by 1980 they were established in several parts of Australia.

Life Strategy: Nearly all gobies are benthic (bottom-dwelling) but in some groups (Iglossus, Nemateleotris) individuals hover just above the bottom, seldom moving very far from shelter. Many male gobies are extremely aggressive towards invading males but exhibit a much more relaxed behavior in response to females entering their territory.

Pheromones are thought to play a pivotal role in this recognition. The various forms of social hierarchies found in gobies are discussed in Reproduction above. Some gobies engage in symbiotic relationships with sponges, branched corals, or other fishes in the form of cleaners Gobiosoma.

Food / Feed Strategy: Gobies are classified as zooplanktivores, omnivores, and carnivores, as they feed on a wide variety of small organisms like crabs, shrimps, smaller crustaceans (such as copepods, amphipods, and ostracods), mollusks, annelids, polychaetes, formaninferans, sponges, small fishes, and eggs of various invertebrates and fishes. Many gobies are quite selective in their feeding habits, favoring an individual prey item, such as a minute algae or small invertebrate. Others have evolved unusual adaptations to allowing feeding in habitats formerly off-limits to fish.

 Body Form or Style: taeniform  Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform  Mouth Position: terminal Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Gobiidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Gobiidae/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 55

Common Name: Alligator gar Scientific Name: Atractosteus spatula Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Lepisosteiformes

Family: Lepisosteidae

Geography / Habitat: Atractosteus spatula is found in the Ohio River in southwestern Ohio and the Mississippi river south to the Gulf of Mexico. They are found in drainages throughout the southeastern coastal United States. They are found in parts of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Their range is from 44° to 20° north latitude and 101° to 82° west longitude.

Life Strategy: Little is known about alligator gar behavior. They are not known to be extensively social or to migrate.

Food / Feed Strategy: Alligator gars are opportunistic carnivores and sit-and-wait predators. They appear to be sluggish, but can ambush prey with short bursts of speed.

They feed on almost anything, including fish, ducks, turtles, small mammals, and carrion.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Atractosteus Spatula: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Atractosteus_spatula/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 56

Common Name: Stonecat Scientific Name: Noturus flavus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Siluriformes

Family: Ictaluridae

Geography / Habitat: Stonecats (Noturus flavus) are native to the Neartic region. They occur throughout the upper Mississippi Basin, much of the Great Lakes drainage, and in the Hudson Bay drainage in the Red River. Their range extends north into some Canadian provinces such as Ontario and Alberta.

Life Strategy: Both adult and juvenile stonecats exhibit nocturnal behavior. They spend their days under rocks and woody structure where it is dark. They come out at night to feed in the shallows.

Food / Feed Strategy: Stonecats are primarily invertivores. The young will feed upon the larvae of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera) caddisflies (Trichoptera), and midges (Chironomidae). Adult stonecats will feed on mainly mayfly larvae and crayfish (Astacoidea), but they will also take small darters and minnows.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Noturus Flavus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Noturus_flavus/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 57

Common Name: American gizzard shad Scientific Name: Dorosoma cepedianum Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Clupeiformes

Family: Clupeidae Geography / Habitat: Dorosoma cepedianum thrives in rivers, streams, reservoirs and lakes in the mid to eastern region of the United States and the middle and south of Canada around the Great Lakes. It can also be found all the way down to central Mexico and Florida.

Life Strategy: During the first year of D. cepedianum's life, the juveniles live in a school together, making the shad more susceptible to larger prey. After this year, the group separates and live solitary lives until it is spawning season again. This fish tends to migrate towards brackish waters sometimes, but is not nomadic for the most part. It will, however, move according to environmental conditions. Also, throughout its life, D. cepedianum is nocturnal. As an adult, there are not a lot of predators of D. cepedianum, but there are bird predators and larger fish predators of the larval and juvenile stage gizzard shad.

Food / Feed Strategy: An adult D. cepedianum is primarily an omnivore. It is a filter feeder using the 190 rakers on the first gill arch's lower limb. It feeds mostly on phytoplankton and zooplankton, such as perphyton, chrysophyta, and rotifera. Since this fish filters the surrounding water and sediment for food, it also ingests and digests detritus. The substance on the freshwater bed is known as ausfwulchs assemblage, which is what gizzard shad feed on. Sediment and sand are also ingested by the gizzard shad that helps it to digest food in its muscular gizzard.

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Body Form or Style: depressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: thunniform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Dorosoma Cepedianum: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Dorosoma_cepedianum/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 58

Common Name: American shad Scientific Name: Alosa sapidissima Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Clupeiformes

Family: Clupeidae Geography / Habitat: American shad, Alosa sapidissima, are restricted to temperate climates and spend the majority of their life in coastal areas of the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. During spawning season, American shad travel to the rivers of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to lay their eggs. American shad are native to the Atlantic Ocean ranging from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the St. Lawrence River in the north to areas of coastal central Florida in the south. In the late 1800's, humans introduced American shad to the Pacific Ocean. Today, American shad can be found as far north as Cook Inlet, Alaska and the Kamchatka Peninsula and south to Baja California, Mexico.

Life Strategy: American shad are social animals that swim in schools. As juveniles travel toward the ocrean, they avoid larger species of fish which may prey on them. As they grow larger and reach the ocean, American shad live in closer proximity to other fish.

Food / Feed Strategy: Juvenile American shad are omnivores with a diet consisting of mostly zooplankton and insect larvae. Juveniles eat more once they have left spawning areas. As they get older, American shad broaden their diet to include small fish, crustaceans, plankton, worms, and occasionally fish eggs. During migration in the late months of winter, American shad eat very little food if any. However, as water temperatures increase in spring, their diet returns to normal.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Alosa Sapidissima: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Alosa_sapidissima/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 59

Common Name: American black bass Scientific Name: Micropterus salmoides Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Centrarchidae Geography / Habitat: Micropterus salmoides is native to eastern North America and historically ranged from southern Canada to northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic coast to the central region of the United States. Since the beginning of the twentieth century largemouth bass have been introduced successfully all over the world.

Life Strategy: In the morning, largemouth bass tend to be very mobile and remain in deep waters (>2.5 m). In the afternoon, bass are sedentary and are usually found near a larger structure in deeper water. As the sun goes down largemouth bass become very mobile and move into shallow water. They remain active throughout the night with a slight decrease in mobility. Movement of bass usually correlates to movement of prey species. The home ranges of largemouth bass are relatively small and overlap with each other.

Food / Feed Strategy: Immature Micropterus salmoides feed on zooplankton and aquatic insects. As they grow their diet shifts to crayfish and other fish species. Sunfish are the food of choice for most adult largemouth bass.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Micropterus Salmoides: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Micropterus_salmoides/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 60

Common Name: Bass Scientific Name: Micropterus dolomieu Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Centrarchidae

Geography / Habitat: The native range of Micropterus dolomieu encompasses the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence seaway drainages from southern Quebec and New Hampshire to North Dakota, and the Mississippi River drainage as far south as Alabama (Page and Burr, 1998). It shares most of its range with the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Near et al., 2003). Beginning in 1873 with introduction to Belgium, the smallmouth bass has been introduced to South Africa, Scandinavia, the British Isles, France, Germany, The Czech Republic, Mexico, Belize, Austria, Slovakia, Vietnam, Guam, Fiji, and Hawaii.

Life Strategy: Smallmouth bass, like other black basses, may congregate around structural elements such as fallen logs or other large debris.

Food / Feed Strategy: Fry and juvenile diets consist primarily of zooplankton and insect larvae. Adults have a more diverse palate, subsisting on such varied foods as crayfish, amphibians, insects, and other fish. Adults also cannibalize young of other parents.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Micropterus Dolomieu: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Micropterus_dolomieu/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 61

Common Name: American eel Scientific Name: Anguilla rostrata Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Anguilliformes

Family: Anguillidae

Geography / Habitat: Anguilla rostrata (Lesueur) is a catadromous species that spawns in the Atlantic Ocean and ascends streams and rivers in North and South America. Found in Atlantic, Great Lakes, Mississippi, the Gulf Basin, and south to South America. This species is more common near the sea rather than inland streams and lakes.

Life Strategy: The catadromous behavior of A. rostrata leads to a diverse range of behaviors linked to the life cycle stage of the animal. The leptocephalus larvae drift toward coastal waters of North America for up to 18 months, developing into more avid carnivorous elvers upon reaching the coastal estuarine waters. All stages beyond the leptocephalus are voracious feeders, and aggressive swimmers, primarily active at night. A. rostrata exudes a prominent layer of slime over its entire body, making capture by hand very difficult. Large eels will actively bite with their fully toothed jaws when caught on hook and line. A. rostrata is capable of breathing through its skin along with its gills, and can endure several hours outside of water Food / Feed Strategy: Feeding habits of A. rostrata vary with level of maturity. The leptocephalus is planktivorous as it drifts to coastal waters and develops into an elver, which feeds on aquatic insects, small crustaceans, and dead fish. Yellow and Silver eels are primarily nocturnal carnivorous feeders, consuming insects, crustaceans, clams, worms, fish and frogs. Eels at this stage will also eat dead animal matter. Adult eels use rotational feeding to tear portions from prey by causing a twist in their bodies and spinning to generate force to remove pieces of food

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Anguilla Rostrata: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 22 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Anguilla_rostrata/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 62

Common Name: Australian bass Scientific Name: Macquaria australasica Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Percichthyidae

Geography / Habitat: Macquaria australasica is only found in Australia. (Paxton et. al., 1989). In it's native range, this species occurs in highest abundance in the Murray-Darling basin in New South Wales. Macquaria australasica was introduced in the Wannon, Barwon, and Yarra Rivers in Victoria, Australia, as well as the Nepean and Shoalhaven Rivers, in New South Wales. Within these areas, there are three different population areas that this species inhabits including; west of the Great Dividing Range, the Hawkesbury River, and the lower Shoalhaven River.

Life Strategy: Macquarie perch are schooling fish. They make small, seasonal migrations upstream to spawning sites.

Food / Feed Strategy: The bulk of their diet consists of aquatic invertebrates such as caddisfly, stonefly and mayfly species, with a small quantity of terrestrial insects taken as well. Adults feed at the bottom of lakes and rivers. Young are zooplanktivores, and eat water fleas, rotifers and water mites by sucking them up into their mouths.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Macquaria Australasica: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Macquaria_australasica/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 63

Common Name: African catfish Scientific Name: Clarias gariepinus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Siluriformes

Family: Clariidae

Geography / Habitat: North African catfish have been widely introduced around the world. They are found as far south as South Africa and north into northern Africa. They have also been introduced in Europe, the Middle East, and in parts of Asia. They are potamodromous, which means they migrate within streams and rivers.

Life Strategy: North African catfish are relatively poor swimmers that spends most of the time on the bottom of lakes and rivers. They are, however, able to move across land to another water source during damp conditions. They simply extend their strong pectoral fins and spines and begin crawling through shallow pathways.

Food / Feed Strategy: North African catfish are omnivores. They are not specific in their food requirements. They are known to feed on insects, plankton, snails, crabs, shrimp, and other invertebrates. They are also capable of eating dead animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, other fishes, eggs, and plant matter such as fruit and seeds. Because they are mobile on land, they are able to prey on terrestrial organisms. This species may also hunt in packs on occasion by herding and trapping smaller fish. They are also refered to as sharptooth catfish because of fine, pointed bands of teeth.

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Clarias Gariepinus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Clarias_gariepinus/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 64

Common Name: Black-head minnow Scientific Name: Pimephales promelas Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Cypriniformes

Family: Cyprinidae Geography / Habitat: Fathead minnows are native to the Nearctic region. The northern limits of their geographic ranges extends from Quebec to Alberta and Northwest Territories, Canada. Their southern limites of their geographic range extends as far southward as Alabama, Texas, and New Mexico. Fathead minnows are most abundant in the Prairie Pothole Region of the northern Great Plains. Bait-bucket introductions have also occurred in the Mobile Bay drainage, Colorado River drainage, Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. They are generally absent in mountainous regions as well as on the Atlantic Slope of Delaware River. They have also been introduced in Europe.

Life Strategy: Fathead minnows are strictly aquatic and stay within schools of familiar individuals, which allows them to act as a more cooperative, cohesive unit in comparison to schools with unfamiliar individuals. Chemical cues allow minnows to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar individuals and may also play a significant role in courtship behaviors and the degree to which reproduction is successful.

Food / Feed Strategy: Fathead minnows are opportunistic omnivores that can be characterized as benthic filter feeders, sifting through mud and silt in order to find food.

Freshwater sediments often contain a large abundance of algae andprotozoans, which represent a significant proportion of the fathead minnow diet. Secondary prey items include diatoms, filamentous algae, small crustaceans, and insect larvae. In addition, brook sticklebacks represent one of few species also common within the Prairie Pothole Region that also prey heavily on zooplankton, placing a high probability of interspecific competition between brook sticklebacks and fathead minnows.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: termainal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Pimephales Promelas: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pimephales_promelas/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 65

Common Name: Black crappie Scientific Name: Pomoxis nigromaculatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Centrarchidae

Geography / Habitat: The native range of Pomoxis nigromaculatus is the freshwaters of central and eastern North America. It has further been introduced to freshwater lakes of the Pacific coast and Canada due to its popularity as a sport-fish and its durability.

Life Strategy: Pomoxis nigromaculatus are schooling fish. During the day, they can be found in deep water around fallen trees, weed beds, and other submerged structure. They move toward shore to feed several times a day, mainly at dusk and dawn. During the spawning period, they concentrate in shallow, warm water. In the winter, black crappie do not go into semi-hibernation, however they may move to deeper water.

Food / Feed Strategy: As a juvenile, Pomoxis nigromaculatus feeds mainly on microscopic prey such as Cyclops, Cladocera, and Daphnia. As an adult, Pomoxis nigromaculatus is a mid-water omnivore that feeds in vegetation and open water. Its numerous gill rakers allow it to consume planktonic crustaceans; however aquatic insects, minnows, and fingerlings of other species comprise its main diet. Dawn, noon, dusk, and midnight are peak times for black crappie feeding.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Pomoxis Nigromaculatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pomoxis_nigromaculatus/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 66

Common Name: Three-lined pencilfish Scientific Name: Nannostomus trifasciatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Characiformes

Family: Lebiasinidae

Geography / Habitat: Nannostomus trifasciatus is a freshwater fish native to Guyana, the Rio Negro, and the middle portion of the Amazon River.

Life Strategy: This species is active during the day, resting at night in the upper layers of the water. It swims with its body in a horizontal position. The fact that its daytime coloration may be an aposematic signal to members of its own species suggests that it may exhibit some degree of territoriality or dominance hierarchy in the wild. N. trifasciatus may also be migratory, as it moves from the main river channels to flooded forest during the rainy season.

Food / Feed Strategy: N. trifasciatus spends much of its time near the water surface, where it feeds primarily on insects. It has also been reported to eat detritus and algae. In captivity, it will eat just about any type of standard fish food.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Nannostomus Trifasciatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Nannostomus_trifasciatus/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 67

Common Name: Black mullet Scientific Name: Mugil cephalus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Mugiliformes

Family: Mugilidae

Geography / Habitat: Mugil cephalus occurs in the coastal waters of the tropical and subtropical zones of all seas. Striped mullet are found in the western Atlantic Ocean, from Nova Scotia, Canada south to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico. They are absent in the Bahamas and the Caribbean Sea. In the eastern Atlantic Ocean, striped mullet occur from the Bay of Biscay (France) to South Africa, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. The eastern Pacific Ocean range includes southern California south to Chile Life Strategy: Striped mullet tend to school for protection from predators in the daylight hours, although they feed around the clock (Texas Parks 2005). Striped mullet leap out of the water frequently. Biologists aren't sure why these fish leap so often, but it could be to avoid predators. Another possibility is that the fish spend much of their time in areas that are low in dissolved oxygen. They may quickly exit the water in order to clear their gills and be exposed to higher levels of oxygen Food / Feed Strategy: Mullet are diurnal feeders, consuming mainly zooplankton, dead plant matter, and detritus. Mullet have thick-walled gizzard-like segments in their stomach along with a long gastrointestinal tract that enables them to feed on detritus.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Mugil Cephalus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Mugil_cephalus/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 68

Common Name: Golden shiner Scientific Name: Notemigonus crysoleucas Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Cypriniformes

Family: Cyprinidae

Geography / Habitat: Golden shiners, Notemigonus crysoleucas, are widely distributed throughout North America. Their native range includes the Atlantic drainage basin from Nova Scotia south to southern Texas, the Great Lakes basin, and the Mississipi River drainage basin from Alberta Canada, to Wyoming, Montana and Oklahoma.

Life Strategy: Golden shiners are social and are found in groups (schools) thougout life.

These fish feed in the littoral (nearshore) zone within one hour of sunset. As the sun sets, schools break up and individuals move into open water.

Food / Feed Strategy: Golden shiners are omnivorous and crepuscular planktivores. Their diet mainly consists of zooplankton, phytoplankton, and microcrustaceans. They pick off plankton one at at time and generally occupy slower moving waters.

Additionally, Odonata nymphs form a minor portion of their diet.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Notemigonus Crysoleucas: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Notemigonus_crysoleucas/>

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 69

Common Name: Asian seabass Scientific Name: Lates calcarifer Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Latidae Geography / Habitat: Lates calcarifer, known as barramundi, barramundi perch, giant sea perch, or Asian sea bass, is native to coastal areas in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. This includes coastal Australia, Southeast and Eastern Asia, and India.

Life Strategy: Catadromous barramundi populations move seasonally between breeding and feeding grounds. Immediately after hatching as plankton, Lates calcarifer larvae make their way from the mouths of estuaries into brackish or freshwater swamps or mangroves where they are protected from predators. The developing fish tend to stay in the swamps from February to April, before moving into permanent tidal creeks for another nine months. After the nine months have past, juvenile barramundi make their way into freshwater estuaries to further develop (Russel, 1985). Barramundi return to the mouths of the estuaries to breed (Moore, 1982). Barramundi are found alone or in small groups, they may school in feeding aggregations when feeding on schools of smaller bait fish.

Food / Feed Strategy: Barramundi are opportunistic predators. They eat microcrustaceans such as copepods and amphipods as juvenile fish under 40 mm. As larger juveniles they eat macrocrustaceans like Penaeidae and Palaemonidae. These crustacean prey are found mainly near the bottom of the water column, so this diet also protects juveniles from most of their predators, which hunt closer to the water surface. Mollusks are consumed to a lesser degree.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lates Calcarifer: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Lates_calcarifer/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 70

Common Name: American brook charr Scientific Name: Salvelinus fontinalis Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae Geography / Habitat: Brook trout are found as far south as Georgia in the Appalachian mountain range and extend north all the way to Hudson Bay. From the east coast their native range extends westward to eastern Manitoba and the Great Lakes. The fish has been introduced, very successfully in some areas, into many parts of the world including western North America, South America, New Zealand, Asia, and many parts of Europe.

Life Strategy: Behavior varies greatly in brook trout depending on their habitat; for example, some populations in streams draining into marine environments have individuals that take to living in the marine environment, only returning to the river in order to spawn (Mills, 1971). Brook trout that take to the sea are called sea-run trout, salters, or coasters and are considered anadromous, similar to salmon.

Food / Feed Strategy: The food habits of brook trout vary according to their age and life history stage. As fry, or very young fish, brook trout feed primarily on immature stages of aquatic insects (Everhart, 1961). In general a brook trout's diet can be likened to a smorgasbord of organisms with prey ranging from mayflies to salamanders (Wittman, 2001). A brook trout will virtually eat anything its mouth will accommodate, including mostly many aquatic insect larvae such as caddisflies, mayflies, midges, and black flies.

Other organisms consumed include worms, leeches, crustaceans, terrestrial insects, spiders, mollusks, a number of other fish species

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Salvelinus Fontinalis: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Salvelinus_fontinalis/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 71

Common Name: Alewife Scientific Name: Alosa pseudoharengus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Clupeiformes

Family: Clupeidae

Geography / Habitat: Alosa pseudoharengus (Wilson, 1811) is an anadromous species, native to the Atlantic Ocean and the lakes and streams that drain to it from Newfoundland to North Carolina (Scott and Crossman, 1998). This includes the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the outer coast of Nova Scotia, the Bay of Fundy, and the Gulf of Maine (Scott and Scott, 1988). It is also present, although non-native, in all of the Great Lakes (USA), and many lakes in northern New York. In the Great Lakes, A. pseudoharengus was first caught in Lake Erie in 1931 off the coast of Nanticoke, Ontario, Canada.

Life Strategy: There is little published research on their social behavior except for spawning behaviors and feeding patterns. They migrate up streams or to shallow waters to spawn. They are vertical daily migrators, following plankton populations Food / Feed Strategy: Little is known about the feeding habits of anadromous alewives.

Adult land-locked fish eat mostly zooplankton, especially larger varieties such as copepods, cladocerans, mysids, and ostracods. When they grow larger than 11.9 cm, they feed mostly on the benthic amphipod Pontoporeia. Some spawning adults eat small fish or fish eggs when in shallow waters. Larval alewives eat mainly cladocerans and copepods.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Alosa Pseudoharengus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Alosa_pseudoharengus/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 72

Common Name: Bluntnose minnow Scientific Name: Pimephales notatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Cypriniformes

Family: Cyprinidae

Geography / Habitat: The bluntnose minnow is widely distributed in small and mediumsized streams in North America. They occur from southern Quebec and Manitoba south to Louisiana, west to the Mississipi River drainage (but not the Mississippi River itself).

Life Strategy: The maximimum recorded age for a bluntnose minnow is five years. It is unclear whether this was a captive or wild individual.

Food / Feed Strategy: Bluntnose minnows eat algae, aquatic insect larvae, diatoms, and small crustaceans called entomostracans. Occasionally they will eat fish eggs or small fish.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Pimephales Notatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pimephales_notatus/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 73

Common Name: Lake Sturgeon Scientific Name: Acipenser fulvescens Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Acipenseriformes

Family: Acipenseridae

Geography / Habitat: Acipenser fulvescens occurs in the freshwaters of North America from the Hudson Bay through the Mississippi River drainages to Alabama. It is found along the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River drainage and in large lakes in New York and Vermont, including Cayuga Lake and Lake Champlain.

Life Strategy: Lake sturgeon are slow moving fish, spending most of their time grubbing on the bottom for food. They migrate up rivers during spawning season.

Food / Feed Strategy: The name sturgeon in several European languages means "the stirrer", from the way the fish rummages among the mud for food. It finds its food largely by touch, using its sensitive barbels. As the lake sturgeon cruises over the bottom, the sensitivity of the fleshy whiskers trailing in the sand makes up, to some extent, for the fish's poor eye sight. As soon as the whiskers pass over food, the protrusible mouth drops down with an elevator-like motion and rapidly sucks in its meal. Acipenser fulvescens are one of the few fishes to have taste buds on the outside of their mouth. In other fish, they are normally found on the tongue or inside the mouth. The taste buds of the lake sturgeon protrude from the toothless mouth and are used to help in the selection of food.

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Acipenser Fulvescens: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Acipenser_fulvescens/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 74

Common Name: Pirate perch Scientific Name: Aphredoderus sayanus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Percopsiformes

Family: Aphredoderidae

Geography / Habitat: Aphredoderus sayanus is found only in North America and is believed to have occupied the Mississippi Valley before the ancestors of most modern-day fishes had migrated into the region. Today pirate perch are found throughout the lowlands and surrounding areas of the southeastern Ozarks, in lakes and pools east of the Mississippi River and as far south as eastern Texas.

Life Strategy: Pirate perch are solitary fish. They are carnivorous, feeding mostly at night.

Indeed, pirate perch got their name from C.C. Abbott, who observed that these fish eat all other suitably sized fish when confined in an aquarium. Pirate perch appear to have a life history strategy similar to those of sunfishes, moving into the limnetic zone immediately after hatching and remaining there for several weeks before returning to the littoral zone Food / Feed Strategy: This carnivorous fish eats primarily immature aquatic insects, small crustaceans and sometimes small fish

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Aphredoderus Sayanus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Aphredoderus_sayanus/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 75

Common Name: Bleeding heart Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Characiformes

Family: Characidae

Geography / Habitat: Bleeding heart tetras are native to the neotropical region. The distribution is described as the Upper Amazon River basin. Bleeding heart tetras are found in the Rio Negro of Brazil as well as other regional rivers. Aquarists have known about this species since 1943 and they have since become a popular aquarium fish.

Life Strategy: Bleeding heart tetras, in the aquarium environment, do best in small schools of at least five individuals. Their peaceful demeanor makes an environment composed of larger groups possible without conflict. There is otherwise very little known about the behavior of these fish in the wild.

Food / Feed Strategy: In captivity, bleeding heart tetras eat a variety of foods. It is likely that their wild diet is similar, being made up of small crustaceans, insects, zooplankton, and other organic matter.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Hyphessobrycon Erythrostigma: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Hyphessobrycon_erythrostigma/>.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 76

Common Name: Log perch Scientific Name: Percina caprodes Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Percidae

Geography / Habitat: Percina caprodes (logperch) is found in North America as far north as the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and Mississippi River basin areas to as far south as Gulf of Mexico drainages. Logperch are found rarely in the Great Plains and areas west of the Mississippi, but extensively along Atlantic drainages in the United States.

Life Strategy: Logperch, like all darters, are not schooling fish. Instead, logperch can be found either traveling alone or in small groups (Burkhead, 2005). They are mobile fish, usually foraging long stretches of river or streambed for food. Logperch have a foraging behavior that makes them unique, compared to other darters: the ability to use their conical snouts and heads to flip stones and sand in search of food. Researchers are not sure how early this foraging behavior develops, but it is present in all juvenile logperches.

Food / Feed Strategy: Juvenile logperch have a diet consisting of rotifers, copepods, and waterfleas. As they grow, logperch incorporate a greater variety of small aquatic creatures. They feed on primarily aquatic insects (especially mayfly (Ephemeroptera) and midge larvae (Chironomidae)), but also young snails, waterfleas, leeches, and fish eggs (including their own) when available.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Percina Caprodes: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 77

Common Name: Piranha Scientific Name: Pygocentrus nattereri Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Characiformes

Family: Characidae

Geography / Habitat: Pygocentrus nattereri is found in South America. Pygocentrus nattereri can be found east of the Andes in the Parana-Paraguay and Amazon basin. They can also be found in rivers of northeast Brazil and the Guianas.

Life Strategy: little is none about their life strategies.

Food / Feed Strategy: Foraging methods vary in different life stages of P. nattereri. During the day, smaller fish (80-110 mm) search for food. At dawn, late afternoon, and early evening the larger fish (150-240 mm) search for food. Pygocentrus nattereri groups gather in vegetation in order to wait for prey. The group typically includes around 20-30 fishes. In the daytime P. nattereri can be seen lurking or ambushing prey. Two other methods for obtaining food employed by P. nattereri are chasing and scavenging. The hunting mode of chasing was seen after the fish lie and wait in vegetation. The fish then proceed to swim after and eat the fish. P. nattereri has a wide variety of food in its diet, including fins, scales, fish (pieces and whole), insects, snails, and plants.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Pygocentrus Nattereri: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 78

Common Name: False neon tetra Scientific Name: Paracheirodon simulans Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Characiformes

Family: Characidae

Geography / Habitat: Paracheirodon simulans is native to the neotropical region. These fish, which are commonly called green neon tetras, are found in northwest Brazil to Colombia in the River Negro, and in Venezuela in the upper Orinoco River basin.

Life Strategy: There is little information on the behavior of P. simulans. They are typically found in schools of 6 fish or more. These are also thought to be the schools within which they mate. Small localized migrations may take place in response to changing water levels.

Food / Feed Strategy: Paracheirodon simulans is omnivorous. These fish tend to eat small live foods such as crustaceans, fish larvae, and insects.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Paracheirodon Simulans: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater fishes

Species #: 79

Common Name: Catfish Scientific Name: Ictalurus punctatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Siluriformes

Family: Ictaluridae

Geography / Habitat: The native range of Ictalurus punctatus is the Neartic in lower Canada and throughout the midwest of the United States. Channel catfish have been introduced in the Palearctic in Cyprus, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain (Elvira, 2001) as well as Malaysia.

Life Strategy: Ictalurus punctatus are solitary except during mating courtship and protection of young. They are active during the night, moving around and finding food after dusk. During the day they will be most likely found in deep water with little activity.

There is no clear cut home range for channel catfish. Like many river fish, channel catfish will migrate up and down stream.

Food / Feed Strategy: Ictalurus punctatus can be thought of as one large mouth because there are taste buds located all over their body. The olfactory system is used mostly in consumption of food. Adult channel catfish, over 45 cm, consume fishes such as yellow perch and sunfish. The diet of adults consists of snails, algae, snakes, frogs, insects, aquatic plants, and even birds occasionally. Younger channel catfish are more consistently omnivorous, eating a large variety of plants and animals.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Ictalurus Punctatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 80

Common Name: Sand Sturgeon Scientific Name: Scaphirhynchus platorynchus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Acipenseriformes

Family: Acipenseridae

Geography / Habitat: Shovelnose sturgeons are a freshwater species historically found in most portions of the Mississippi and Missouri river basins. This area ranges from Montana south to Louisiana, and from Pennsylvania west to New Mexico. However, shovelnose sturgeons are no longer found in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and large parts of Kansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee where they were once abundant. The main cause for the restriction of range is the construction of dams on many of their native waterways.

Life Strategy: Eggs are deposited on rocky substrates, providing protection for young shovelnose sturgeons to develop in safety. As the young mature they begin to travel greater distances away from their natal habitat. Females grow significantly faster than males, enabling them to travel further earlier.

Food / Feed Strategy: Scaphirhynchus platorynchus are opportunistic feeders, eating mostly aquatic insects, mussels, worms and crustaceans. Altered stream flow can affect the sturgeon’s ability to find food and also influences the abundance of prey organisms. The barbels detect prey, and then the sucker type mouth easily picks up the food organisms.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Scaphirhynchus Platorynchus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 81

Common Name: Alabama Cavefish Scientific Name: Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Percopsiformes

Family: Amblyopsidae

Geography / Habitat: Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni is a cavefish whose range is limited solely to Key Cave, Lauderdale County, Alabama, north of the Tennessee River.

Life Strategy: There is little to nothing known about behavior in Alabama cavefish. They are likely to be active at any time of the day or night since there is no difference between day and night in these environments.

Food / Feed Strategy: No invasive studies have been done due to the species extremely endangered status and the fragility of their cave habitat. It is thought that the diet consists of copepods, isopods, amphipods, and small cavefish. In any case S. poulsoni sits at the top of a food chain that begins with incident grey bat (Myotis grisescens) droppings, or guano.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Speoplatyrhinus Poulsoni: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 82

Common Name: Baiser Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus mykiss Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae

Geography / Habitat: Oncorhynchus mykiss are only native to the Pacific Coast of North America, extending from Alaska down to the border between California and Mexico.

However, they have been introduced throughout the United States. and in every continent except for Antarctica for game fishing purposes. There are two forms: freshwater resident and anadromous. The resident form is commonly called rainbow trout while the anadromous form is called steelhead.

Life Strategy: Steelhead and rainbow trout are solitary fish, leaving the group of juveniles once they have hatched from eggs. As adults, they compete with all kinds of trout and salmon for food and habitat. The largest trout tend to get the best habitat. Adult steelhead have a remarkable homing instinct and consistently return to their natal stream to spawn.

Food / Feed Strategy: Rainbow trout and steelhead are insectivorous and piscivorous.

Resident rainbow trout tend to eat more fish than steelhead. Both species primarily feed on invertebrate larvae drifting in mid-water to conserve energy that would be expended if they were foraging for food in the substrate. Young rainbow trout and steelhead eat insect larvae, crustaceans, other aquatic invertebrates, and algae.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Oncorhynchus Mykiss: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 83

Common Name: Bloater Scientific Name: Coregonus hoyi Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Salmoniformes

Family: Salmonidae

Geography / Habitat: Coregonus hoyi is endemic to the Great Lakes basin of North America where it inhabited all lakes except Lake Erie. This species was probably extirpated from Lakes Ontario and Nipigon and is threatened in Lake Michigan and declining in Lakes Superior and Huron.

Life Strategy: Coregonus hoyi spends daylight hours on or near the bottom, and rise into the water column to feed at night. Nighttime densities in the water column have been observed at up to 6.61 fish/m^3. These nocturnal migrations are variable with water temperature, light levels, and individual size. Migration patterns allow C. hoyi to maximize growth through increased consumption of Mysis relicta, which also migrates.

Food / Feed Strategy: Coregonus hoyi is primarily a pelagic feeder, with occasional bottom feeding, but habits and diet appear to be variable between bodies of water. Analysis of stomach contents revealed primarily Mysis relicta and Pontoporeia affinis, both near bottom dwelling plankton.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Coregonus Hoyi: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 84

Common Name: Bull shark Scientific Name: Carcharhinus leucas Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Carcharhiniformes

Family: Carcharhinidae

Geography / Habitat: The Bull Shark inhabits coastal waters in tropical and subtropical seas worldwide.

Life Strategy: The Bull Shark is a solitary species that hunts by itself. Most individuals are not migratory, however many Bull Sharks in South America have been known to migrate thousands of miles from the Amazon River to the Atlantic Ocean. The largest threat to the shark is the large number of humans who fish for it commercially. It also is preyed upon by other large sharks especially in its juvenile stage. One interesting behavior is the Bull Shark's willingness to enter freshwater areas. The shark has been found far up the Mississippi and Amazon Rivers and also in Lake Nicaragua.

Food / Feed Strategy: The Bull Shark is an omnivorous animal. It routinely preys upon fish, sharks (especially young sandbar sharks), rays, turtles, echinoderms, birds, mollusks, dolphins, and almost anything else it can find. Remains of everything from humans to hippopotami have been found in Bull Sharks' stomachs.

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Body Form or Style: sagittiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcaragiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Carcharhinus Leucas: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 85

Common Name: American burbot Scientific Name: Lota lota Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Gadiformes

Family: Lotidae

Geography / Habitat: Burbot, Lota lota, are a holarctic species native to the cold fresh waters of the Nearctic and Palearctic regions found between 40 and 70 degrees North latitudes.

Life Strategy: Burbot are opportunistic piscivores with a diverse diet. They hide amongst available refugia in their epibenthic habitat such as rocks and fallen logs, and use ambush tactics to capture prey (Kahilainen and Lehtonen 2003). They are crepuscular or nocturnal and seek shallow water to feed. During times of low activity, they congregate in deep holes.

In the winter, these fish migrate upstream and form spawning aggregations.

Food / Feed Strategy: Newly hatched burbot are completely planktivorous, and remain so even when they are no longer gape limited (Ghan and Sprules 1993). Diet of larval burbot is dominated by rotifer species for the first two weeks. Diet then shifts to slightly larger nauplii, changing further during week four to cycloid copepods, daphnia, and calanoid copepods (Ghan and Sprules 1993). Juveniles have a diet of molluscs and insect larvae.

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lota Lota: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 86

Common Name: Gar Scientific Name: Lepisosteus osseus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Lepisosteiformes

Family: Lepisosteidae

Geography / Habitat: Lepisosteus osseus is widely distributed throughout the eastern United States. L. osseus can be found along the eastern seaboard from the Delaware River, N.J. to central Florida and in the upper Midwest in the St. Lawrence River, Quebec and all of the Great Lakes except Superior. It lives throughout the entire Mississippi River basin and can be found as far south as the Rio Grande drainages of Texas and Mexico.

Life Strategy: A unique behavior of the longnose gar is its ability to survive in low-oxygen waters. L. osseus has a highly vascularized swimbladder, which connects to the pharynx by a pneumatic duct, to breath air. Under normal oxygen levels, both aquatic and aerial respiration occurs. However, as oxygen becomes limited, L. osseus will close its gill covers and can survive indefinitely on aerial respiration alone Food / Feed Strategy: By 10-11 days after hatching, young gar begin feeding on small crustaceans, such as cladocerans and copepods, and insects, including various dipterans such as chironomids. L. osseus quickly switch to a diet of primarily fish. Gars are active night feeders and much of the feeding is surface-oriented

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Body Form or Style: anguilliform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lepisosteus Osseus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title:

Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 87

Common Name: Eel sucker Scientific Name: Petromyzon marinus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: no specific class

Order: Petromyzontiformes

Family: Petromyzontidae

Geography / Habitat: Sea lampreys are native to the Atlantic Ocean. Between the months of March and October, they can be found along the coast of the United States as far north as Massachusetts and as far south as South Carolina. In October, North American lampreys migrate south along the Atlantic coast to warmer climates, some travelling as far south as Florida.

Life Strategy: Sea lampreys are a very motile and live their adult life as parasitic organisms. Specific behavioral patterns of this species, however, are not well studied.

Although individuals are not known to interact as larvae, adults are predominantly found in groups or colonies while attached to a host. During spawning, sea lampreys interact using pheromones. Due to morphological and physiological changes necessary to reach the spawning phase, including disintegration of the digestive system, sea lampreys cease feeding when spawning.

Food / Feed Strategy: Newly hatched larval sea lampreys are freshwater filter-feeders that consume detritus, algae, and other organic material found at river bottoms. Once in a saline environment (or in the Great Lakes), sea lampreys develop parasitic abilities, attach themselves to a fish and ingest their blood and skin.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Petromyzon Marinus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 88

Common Name: Common snook Scientific Name: centropomus undecimalis Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Centropomidae

Geography / Habitat: Common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, range from the coastal mid-Atlantic regions of the United States through the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean to parts of Central and South America. Common snook have been documented as far north as Pamlico Sound, North Carolina and as far south as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They are particularly abundant around coastal Florida.

Life Strategy: Common snook, as amphidromous fish, often move between fresh and salt water throughout their life. Common snook congregate seasonally in saltwater near the mouths of rivers, inlets, and canals in order to spawn. Common snook are considered social in that they are often found in groups, especially during times of spawning.

Food / Feed Strategy: Common snook are pelagic feeders. Daily feeding peaks occurrs 2 hours before sunrise and 2 to 3 hours after sunset. Their feeding behavior is affected by the tidal cycle, and feeding activity noticeably increases with an increase in water flow following a period of standing flood or ebb tides.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Centropomus Undecimalis: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 89

Common Name: Marble cichlid Scientific Name: Astronotus ocellatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Cichlidae

Geography / Habitat: These fish are found in the Amazon River basin, from the Orinoco River to the Rio Paraguay, throughout Venezuela, Guyana, and Paraguay.

Life Strategy: In captivity, A. ocellatus is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fishes, largely because of its coloring and distinguishing personalities. They are said to be able to recognize their owners from other people, and can even be trained to perform simple tricks for food, like jumping out of the water. Astronotus ocellatus, like many Cichlids, often exhibit changes in color darkness.

Food / Feed Strategy: Although these predators are not at all choosy, they feed mostly on insect larvae and smaller fish. Their feeding habits require that Oscars have excellent eyesight. Because of this, they have been the subject of numerous studies concerning eyesight in fish.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Astronotus Ocellatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 90

Common Name: Electric eel Scientific Name: Electrophorus electricus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Gymnotiformes

Family: Gymnotidae

Geography / Habitat: Electrophorus electricus, more commonly known as the electric eel, occupies the northeastern portions of South America. This includes the Guyanas and Orinoco Rivers as well as the middle and lower Amazon basin.

Life Strategy: Although electric eels have the potential to be fairly aggressive animals, they are not. They really only use their strong electric organ discharges for predation and defensive purposes. Weak electric organ discharges are used for electrolocation as well as identification of foreign objects. This is especially important because of their poor eyesight.

Food / Feed Strategy: To find prey E. electricus uses its weak electric organ, also known as the Sachs organ. This transmits a weak pulsating signal, thought to be used for locating and directional purposes. Once prey is found the electric eel will use a much larger electrical current to stun the fish. This is done with the two larger electric organs, the Main and Hunters organs.

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Body Form or Style: taeniform Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Electrophorus Electricus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 91

Common Name: Rainbow darter Scientific Name: Etheostoma caeruleum Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Percidae

Geography / Habitat: The rainbow darter is found in North America, throughout the Great Lakes region and the Ohio River valley extending into northern Alabama and as far west as Missouri and Arkansas (Kuehne and Barbour, 1983). Distinct populations of rainbow darters have also been discovered in the tributaries of the lower Mississippi river in southwest Mississippi and eastern Louisiana.

Life Strategy: There is no life strategies known about Rainbow darters.

Food / Feed Strategy: Rainbow darters feed on a variety of aquatic insect larvae, small snails, and crayfish. They will also feed on various fish eggs, typically either minnow or lamprey eggs (Kuehne and Barbour, 1983). Rainbow darters are known to have a special preference for caddis fly larvae. However, it is important to note that the feeding habits of rainbow darters differ according to the time of day and also the time of year

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Etheostoma Caeruleum: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 92

Common Name: Greenside darter Scientific Name: Etheostoma blennioides Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Percidae

Geography / Habitat: Etheostoma blennioides, the greenside darter, is restricted to a few major watersheds of North America. Its range extends from New York and the Potomac River drainage west to Kansas and south to Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama, mostly within the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Etheostoma blennioides is also found in the Lake St. Clair and Thames River system in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Greenside darters are most common in creeks and rivers in east-central North America.

Life Strategy: Greenside darters lack a swimbladder and are therefore a benthic-dwelling organism. Fairly reclusive, they spend much of their time hovering directly above the substrate or hiding in overhanging rock caves.

Food / Feed Strategy: In general, greenside darters feed on immature benthic insects in the 1-6 mm range, although this diet varies with season and prey availability. Chironomid larvae (midges/flies) are the major prey taxon consumed, Ephemeroptera (mayflies) and Plecoptera (stoneflies) larvae are also common prey items

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Etheostoma Blennioides: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 93

Common Name: Redear Scientific Name: Lepomis microlophus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Centrarchidae

Geography / Habitat: Redear sunfish are native to the central and southern United States and can be found in the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes and Mississippi River drainages, as well as the Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages. Redear sunfish have been introduced as game fish throughout the United States, as well as in Morocco, South Africa, Panama, and Puerto Rico.

Life Strategy: Redear sunfish that share habitat with largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) are forced to compete for food as fry and juveniles. They eat insect larvae until their jaws are strong enough to crush the shells of their primary prey, aquatic snails.

Food / Feed Strategy: Redear sunfish are mainly bottom feeders. Fry stay in benthic waters and feed on algae and microcrustaceans. Juveniles eat insects, insect larvae, and small snails. Once their jaws fully develop, usually at about 1 year old, they begin to feed exclusively on snails. Adults feed on snails, aquatic insects, copepods, and organisms with hard shells, such as crustaceans.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lepomis Microlophus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 94

Common Name: Banded sculpin Scientific Name: Cottus carolinae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Scorpaeniformes

Family: Cottidae

Geography / Habitat: Cottus carolinae (banded sculpin) is distributed in fourteen states within the southeastern and midwestern United States. The species occupies upland streams within the Mississippi River basin from the New River drainage in West Virginia and Virginia, west to Ozark Mountain drainages in southern Missouri and Kansas, and from southern Indiana and Illinois, south to northern Arkansas, Alabama, and northeast Georgia.

Life Strategy: Banded sculpins are primarily nocturnal (NatureServe, 2005). They reside under rocks during the day and on top of rocks at night. A study conducted along the Little River of eastern Tennessee illustrated that sculpins moved from beneath rocks to the tops of rocks at dusk, and they returned under the rocks at dawn.

Food / Feed Strategy: Both adults and immature banded sculpins are invertivores and piscivores. They are nocturnal feeders and make effective use of their cryptic coloration when they stalk or ambush prey. Young banded sculpins consume aquatic insect immatures, including caddisflies (especially hydropsychids), mayflies (Ephemeroptera), and midge larvae (Chironomidae).

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Cottus Carolinae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 95

Common Name: Arawana Scientific Name: Osteoglossum bicirrhosum Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Osteoglossiformes

Family: Osteoglossidae

Geography / Habitat: Osteoglossum bicirrhosum are native to the Amazon drainage system, the western Orinoco and the Rupununi and Essequibo systems of the Guianas.

When found in other locations it is because of introduction by man. For example, they have been introduced in secluded areas of California and Nevada. It is also thought that the fish have not distributed themselves further up river because they cannot pass through rapids successfully.

Life Strategy: Osteoglossum bicirrhosum have a unique predatory behavior. They stay close to shore and wait for prey to swim by. They usually keep lateral with a downed tree, to hide. Then they attack their prey, which usually involves jumping out of the water, to either catch large insects, other fish, or small birds in low hanging branches.

Food / Feed Strategy: Osteoglossum bicirrhosum are not picky eaters. In a study of their stomach contents, the majority of food items included insects and spiders, most of which were beetles. Also found in the stomachs were crabs, snails, fish, birds, snakes, monkey feces and plant material.

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Body Form or Style: anguilliform Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Osteoglossum Bicirrhosum: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 96

Common Name: Green sunfish Scientific Name: Lepomis cyanellus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Centrarchidae

Geography / Habitat: Lepomis cyanellus occurs in central North America, from the plains east of the Rocky Mountain range and west of the Appalachian mountain range, including northeastern Mexico and southeastern Canada. L. cyanellus have been introduced and established in a majority of the continental United States, with the exception of Florida and a few northeastern states.

Life Strategy: Lepomis cyanellus is an aggressive species that outcompetes native species where they have been introduced. They are mainly solitary, but occur in loose aggregations, especially in breeding seasons. They are active during the day.

Food / Feed Strategy: Green sunfish are dietary generalists. Green sunfish larvae consume various types of zooplankton and, as they grow, they expand their diets to include insect larvae and small snails. As juveniles and adults their diets expand to add small crayfish, fish eggs, insects, and small fish. It should be noted that, as competition decreases, their average prey size increases.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lepomis Cyanellus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 97

Common Name: Candiru Scientific Name: Vandellia cirrhosa Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Siluriformes

Family: Trichomycteridae

Geography / Habitat: The Candiru is native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in northern South America.

Life Strategy: This fish is normally a parasite of other fish. It locates its hosts by following the stream of nitrogenous waste normally excreted from the gills. The Candiru swims up the ammonia gradient, and under the gill covers of the host and extends the spines on its own small gill covers to hold itself in place. It then feeds on the host gill. Unfortunately the Candiru can't distinguish between one nitrogen- emitting opening and another, so it has been known to swim up the urethra of humans and other animals who urinate in the water Food / Feed Strategy: The Candiru enters the gills of various large fish, where it then acts as a parasite by feeding on blood and gill tissue

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Body Form or Style: anguilliform Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Vandellia Cirrhosa: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 98

Common Name: Cachama Scientific Name: Piaractus brachypomus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Characiformes

Family: Characidae

Geography / Habitat: The natural range of red-bellied pacu extends from 23°N to 11°S latitude, in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins/flood plains. Common names for this species vary by region. It is known as pirapitinga in Brazil, paco in Peru and cachama blanca in Colombia. Introductions of red-bellied pacu populations have been reported in many regions around the globe, in places as unlikely as Vancouver, British Columbia.

Life Strategy: In native environments, red-bellied pacu are shoaling fish that may become more independent with age. A pacu’s entire life is characterized by annual cycles corresponding to the rainy and dry seasons. They migrate upstream during the months of June through October and then, in response to the first rains of the wet season, start to spawn from November to February.

Food / Feed Strategy: The dietary composition of red-bellied pacu (and a number of closely related species) shifts depending on the season. During the wet season, they rely heavily on seed predation from the newly dropped fruit of riparian trees and plants.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Piaractus Brachypomus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Fishes

Species #: 99

Common Name: Common sunfish Scientific Name: Lepomis gibbosus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Centrarchidae

Geography / Habitat: Pumpkinseeds, Lepomis gibbosus, are found natively in the Atlantic Slope drainages from New Brunswick to the Edisto River in South Carolina and also in the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and upper Mississippi basins from Quebec and New York west to southeastern Manitoba and North Dakota, and south to northern Kentucky and Missouri.

Life Strategy: Pumpkinseeds are active during the day and rest at night near the bottom or in protected areas in dense vegetation, near rocks or submerged logs.

Food / Feed Strategy: Pumpkinseeds consume a diverse diet of small prey including insects, insect larvae, mollusks, snails, crustaceans, leeches, and small fish. They are effective at destroying mosquito larvae and also consume detritus and small amounts of aquatic vegetation.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lepomis Gibbosus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater fishes

Species #: 100

Common Name: Central stoneroller Scientific Name: Campostoma anomalum Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Cypriniformes

Family: Cyprinidae

Geography / Habitat: Central stonerollers are found from New York west through the Great Lakes to Wisconsin and Minnesota and south through the Mississippi valley to Mexico (Miller, 1981). Though not listed as threatened in any U.S. state, this species is uncommon in the Great Plains states.

Life Strategy: Little is known about the behavior of central stonerollers, aside from reproduction. Some fish undergo migrations during spawning season to find suitable habitat, whereas some individuals spend an entire year in the same pool.

Food / Feed Strategy: Power and Matthews (1983) described central stonerollers as voracious feeders, with a diet largely consisting of filamentous algae. A group of central stonerollers introduced into a stream significantly reduced the algae present in one hour, from 22.0 to 6.3 mg ash free dry weight per square cm. Matthews et al.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Campostoma Anomalum: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 101

Common Name: Chinese mitten crab Scientific Name: Eriocheir sinensis Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Family: Varunidae

Geography / Habitat: Chinese mitten crabs are found on coasts from Japan to the mainland of China, Korean Peninsula, and along the Yellow Sea; they are also found on the coasts of northern and eastern Europe and the United States.

Life Strategy: Eriocheir sinensis is catadromous: adult Mitten Crabs live in fresh water, but migrate to salt water for reproduction. It is not clear how the crabs communicate during their migration, but it is speculated that there is an environmental cue, which triggers the migration. They are adept walkers and during migration are able to walk on banks and over other obstacles when needed.

Food / Feed Strategy: Mitten Crabs are omnivores, which means that they eat both plants and animals as its primary food source. As juveniles they mostly eat vegetation but also prey on small invertebrates.

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Body Form or Style: not related to fishes Swim / Locomotion Style: walks Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Eriocheir Sinensis: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 102

Common Name: Sand stargazers Scientific Name: Dactyloscopidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Dactyloscopidae

Geography / Habitat: Dactyloscopids, or sand stargazers, are found in tropical and warm temperate waters of the western hemisphere. The Atlantic Ocean (from the United States to Brazil) contains 17 species, and the Pacific Ocean (from the Gulf of California to Chile) contains 24.

Life Strategy: Sand stargazers burrow in the sand and remain there most of the time lying in wait for their prey. They delve into the sand using sinuous body and anal fin motions, and swimming movements of the pectoral fins. They may bury themselves completely or leave the eyes, snout or top of the head uncovered. One behavior engaged in by males is egg-guarding, accomplished by carrying a ball of eggs under each pectoral fin.

Food / Feed Strategy: Sand stargazers are carnivorous, lying in wait under the sand to attack small fishes and invertebrates.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Dactyloscopidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 103

Common Name: Threefin blennies Scientific Name: Tripterygiidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Tripterygiidae

Geography / Habitat: Triplefin blennies are found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and one species has been identified in the Antarctic Peninsula. There are five species known to be from the Bahamas, all of which are located in the Bahamas. Blennies are generally not found on most of the Atlantic coasts of Africa and South America. New Zealand is thought to be the area with greatest diversity of triplefin blennies.

Life Strategy: Most recorded behavior of triplefin blennies has to do with their reproductive habits (see Reproduction: Mating Systems and General Behavior). Otherwise, they frequent hidden, shadowy areas, darting to and fro with intermittent pauses. One species, Bellapiscis medius, can crawl out of low-oxygen tidepools to breathe air, although it does not have a specialized air-breathing organ.

Food / Feed Strategy: Triplefin blennies feed on algae and tiny invertebrates.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Tripterygiidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 104

Common Name: Dungeness crab Scientific Name: Cancer magister Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Family: Cancridae

Geography / Habitat: Cancer magister, commonly known as Dungeness crab, is found in the costal waters from Point Concepcion, California, to the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. The Dungeness crabs inhabit the estuaries from Morro Bay, California, to Puget Sound, Washington.

Life Strategy: Dungeness crabs bury themselves almost completely with sand. While covered, they are able to keep from suffocating due to hairs located above water intakes at the bases of their claws. These hairs keep the gill chamber free of sand grains.

Food / Feed Strategy: Cancer magister eat a variety of marine invertebrates and fish. As juveniles, the Dungeness crabs feed on fish, shrimp, molluscs and crustaceans. Adults feed on bivalves, crustaceans and fishes. The crabs are able to open shells by chipping away at them with their heavy pinching claws.

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Body Form or Style: not related to fishes Swim / Locomotion Style: walks Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Cancer Magister: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 105

Common Name: Blue ring angelfish Scientific Name: Pomacanthus annularis Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacanthidae

Geography / Habitat: Pomacanthus annularis live in the Indo-Pacific region ranging from Sri Lanka to the Solomon Islands and from the Philippines to the northern tip of Australia.

Normally this range is from 25 degrees north to 25 degrees south Life Strategy: Almost all angelfish, and probably the bluering angelfish, are haremic, which means there is one male defending a territory with two to five females. This territory can be from the size of a bathroom to the size of a two-car garage (Tullock, 1996). They can often be found in caves at night or swimming for food during the day in pairs or alone.

Food / Feed Strategy: P. annularis are omnivorous, eating benthic invertebrates such as zooplankton, sponges, tunicates and coral polyps. Also these fish eat ascidians, algae, weeds, and nektonic fishes

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Pomacanthus Annularis: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 106

Common Name: Alaska pollack Scientific Name: Theragra chalcogramma Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Gadiformes

Family: Gadidae

Geography / Habitat: Theragra chalcogramma (Alaska pollock) occupies a wide geographic range and is found in a polar climate across the northern Pacific Ocean, from 68° north to 34° north, and from 129° east to 120° west (Kooka 1998). Alaska pollock inhabit a broad niche spanning the North Pacific, from the eastern Paleartic region to the western Neartic.

Life Strategy: Theragra chalcogramma is a mobile species that is social and travels in schools. Dense schools of Theragra chalcogramma form during the spawning season. Depth, temperature, and cold fronts contribute to the vertical distribution of juvenile Alaska pollock.

Food / Feed Strategy: Theragra chalcogramma feeds on both fish and invertebrates (Bailey 1999). The diet of this fish varies by developmental stage, season, and body size. Larvae tend to consume zooplankton such as larval copepods, while older T. chalcogramma tend to eat larger food items such as adult Acartia and Pseudocalanus.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcaragiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Theragra Chalcogramma: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 107

Common Name: Garibaldi Scientific Name: Hypsypops rubicundus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacentridae

Geography / Habitat: Hypsypops rubicundus (common name: garibaldi) are primarily found off the coast of California. They have a home range from Monterey Bay down to the Baja California peninsula, and around the Channel Islands Life Strategy: One of the most interesting behaviors of H. rubicundus is its premating behavior. Once the male has created an inviting nest it must next attract a female with which to breed. The male will swim loops in and around its nest in a behavior called “dipping” in order to attract the female. This dipping behavior is often accompanied by a loud “thumping” noise.

Food / Feed Strategy: H. rubicundus feeds primarily on small sessile sponges, bryozoans, and plankton that are found in and around the kelp forests that serve as its home

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Hypsypops Rubicundus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 108

Common Name: Bullhead Scientific Name: Heterodontus portusjacksoni Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Heterodontiformes

Family: Heterodontidae

Geography / Habitat: Heterodontus portusjacksoni is one of the better known species of horn sharks (Heterodontus). It was named after Port Jackson in Sydney Harbour. They are found from southern coastal Australia to the central coast of Western Australia. Some have been found as far north as York Sound in Western Australia. According to studies of the genetics of the Port Jackson sharks, there are two different populations found in different regions that extend the length of the southern part of Australia.

Life Strategy: Port Jackson sharks segregate into same-sex groups. Males and females may occupy different habitats during most parts of the year. Males and females encounter each other only briefly during breeding. Port Jackson sharks are mainly active at night, when their prey are active, and rest in crevices and under rock outcroppings during the day.

Food / Feed Strategy: Port Jackson sharks feed primarily on invertebrates, mainly echinoderms. They eat sea urchins, starfish, polychaetes, large gastropods, prawns, crabs, barnacles, and small fishes.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subsarangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Heterodontus Portusjacksoni: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 109

Common Name: Clinids Scientific Name: Clinidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Clinidae

Geography / Habitat: Clinids primarily occur along temperate coasts in both northern and southern hemispheres. Many species are found in the waters of southern Australia and southern Africa, where they have in many regions become the dominant intertidal fishes.

Life Strategy: Most clinids are territorial. They tend to be bottom dwellers and associate with seaweed, moving within an environment to which their coloring is adapted. Their coloring often changes during spawning. Males and females meet in order to spawn, with the male serving an active role in chasing away other fish, and he may stimulate her to continue spawning by touching her abdomen.

Food / Feed Strategy: Clinids are primarily carnivorous bottom-feeders who consume small fishes and invertebrates from worms to crustaceans.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangifom Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Clinidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 110

Common Name: Butterflyfishes Scientific Name: Chaetodontidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Chaetodontidae

Geography / Habitat: Butterflyfishes are primarily tropical, although some species can be found in temperate regions. Most species occur in the Indo- West Pacific, from Australia to Taiwan. Only four species occur in the eastern Pacific, and 13 species in the Atlantic.

Life Strategy: Butterflyfishes are usually seen in stable heterosexual pairs, although some species move in schools or foraging groups. Sometimes a single species will school in one geographic region, and only occur in pairs elsewhere. Juveniles are typically solitary, and some act as cleaner fishes. Butterflyfishes are active during the day and move conspicuously around the reef.

Food / Feed Strategy: Generally benthic feeders, many butterflyfishes eat small invertebrates, sponges or polychaete worms. Some feed on zooplankton, and others exist exclusively on coral polyps. Another feeding method is scraping the surface of live coral to obtain algae, attached invertebrates, and mucus from the coral.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Chaetodontidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 111

Common Name: Blue spotted lagoon ray Scientific Name: Taeniura lymma Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Rajiformes

Family: Dasyatidae

Geography / Habitat: Taeniura lymma, commonly known as blue-spotted stingrays, is found primarily in the Indo-west Pacific. They may be found in shallow continental shelf waters ranging from temperate to tropical seas. They prefer areas with sandy or sedimentary substrates in which they bury themselves. Sightings of Taeniura lymma have been recorded in Australia in shallow tropical marine waters from Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia to Bundaberg, Queensland.

Life Strategy: Blue-spotted stingrays may be found alone or in small groups, mostly in shallow waters over reef flats. they are rather shy and will usually swim away rapidly if disturbed by divers. When threatened, blue-spotted stingrays will use their venomous tail to inject poison.

Food / Feed Strategy: Taeniura lymma has very distinct feeding behaviors. During high tide, it migrates in groups into shallow sandy areas of tidal flats to feed on sand worms, shrimps, hermit crabs, and small fishes. At low tide it recedes back into the ocean, usually alone to hide in the coral crevices of the reef.

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Body Form or Style: not related to fishes Swim / Locomotion Style: thunniform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Taeniura Lymma: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 112

Common Name: Leopard shark Scientific Name: Stegostoma fasciatum Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrichthyes

Order: Orectolobiformes

Family: Stegostomatidae

Geography / Habitat: Zebra sharks (Stegostoma fasciatum) live in the central, western and Indian Pacific oceans. This species is abundant in Australian coastal waters. It lives mainly over continental and insular shelves and is very common around coral reefs and sandy bottoms. It generally resides around 62 m below the surface of the ocean, but it has occasionally been found in fresh water also.

Life Strategy: Stegostoma fasciatum is mostly solitary. It is a nocturnal hunter, so most of its day is spent lazily swimming around the reef. Like other bottom dwelling sharks, it can pump water across its gills through its mouth, which allows the shark to respire while stationary. It is a powerful swimmer with a tail that is as long as, if not longer than, its body.

Food / Feed Strategy: Natural foods include gastropod and bivalve mollusks with smaller amounts of crabs, shrimp, and small fish.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Stegostoma Fasciatum: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 113

Common Name: Combtooth blennies Scientific Name: Blenniidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Blenniidae

Geography / Habitat: Blennies can be found in the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans, in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters throughout the world.

Life Strategy: Blennies tend to be secretive, remaining near the bottom and hiding their eggs in crevices. Some hide in holes and dart out at their prey. Blennies may eat invertebrates or algae, or survive by nipping the skin, scales, or fins of other fish. Some blennies, known as “rock-hoppers,” are able to leap out of the water to cross the rocks between pools.

Food / Feed Strategy: Primarily bottom-dwellers, blennies tend to feed on other benthic organisms, both algae and invertebrates. Some are planktivores, some carnivores; others scrape algae off coral and rocks and in the process may be feeding on small organisms that live in association with the algae. Some blennies nip pieces of skin, scales, or fins from larger fish.

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Body Form or Style: filifom Swim / Locomotion Style:anguiliform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Blenniidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 114

Common Name: California spiny lobster Scientific Name: Panulirus interruptus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Family: Palinuridae

Geography / Habitat: California spiny lobsters are found on the Pacific coast of North America from Monterey Bay, California (though rarely found north of Point Conception) to Baja California, Mexico. They are occasionally found within the Gulf of California.

Life Strategy: California spiny lobsters are nocturnal, hiding in crevices and dens during the day to avoid predators. They are semi-social, sharing dens with conspecifics. At night, spiny lobsters emerge to forage, traveling up to 600 m in search of food.

Food / Feed Strategy: California spiny lobsters are omnivorous bottom feeders that scavenge dead animals, algae, and detritus. They also consume invertebrates such as the species of mussel Mytilus californianus and urchins Strongylocentrotus franciscanus and S. purpuratus.

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Body Form or Style: not related to fishes Swim / Locomotion Style: walks/ swims Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Panulirus Interruptus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 115

Common Name: Lemon sailfin Scientific Name: Zebrasoma flavescens Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Acanthuridae

Geography / Habitat: Yellow tangs, Zebrasoma flavescens, are reef fish found in the waters west of Hawaii and east of Japan in the Pacific Ocean. They mainly live off the coast of Hawaii, but are also found in the more western ranges of their habitat, including the islands Ryukyu, Mariana, Marshall, Marcus, and Wake. They prefer subtropical waters.

Life Strategy: Juvenile yellow tangs are often territorial. This trait usually diminishes as the fish mature and start to roam wider areas of the reef. Adult tangs live singly or in small, loose groups. These groups sometimes contain other species of fish, like sailfin tang (Zebrasoma veliferum). Yellow tangs are diurnal. During the day, tangs move from place to place, grazing on algae; Food / Feed Strategy: Yellow tangs have a long, down-turned mouth with small teeth that are specialized for grazing on algae. Because they are mainly herbivores, they spend a large amount of their time grazing either alone or in groups.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Zebrasoma Flavescens: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 116

Common Name: Copper rockfish Scientific Name: Sebastes caurinus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Scorpaeniformes

Family: Sebastidae

Geography / Habitat: Copper rockfish are found in waters along the Pacific coast ranging from Baja, California up to Kehui, Alaska. They are common in the waters of British Columbia and in Puget Sound.

Life Strategy: Adult copper rockfish are highly residential and remain near their home site. Although they are a solitary species and usually seen alone, they are sometimes present in mixed aggregates with other species. Individual fish display agnostic behavior to show "protective territoriality".

Food / Feed Strategy: Copper rockfish are opportunistic carnivores that feed mainly on organisms present near the ocean floor, usually crabs, mollusks and other fish. They feed during the day as well as at night. Often the prey varies with the season with crabs eaten more often in winter and early spring. Large copper rockfish tend to be aggressive feeders and sometimes prey on Squalus acanthias, a small shark species.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Sebastes Caurinus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 117

Common Name: California sheephead Scientific Name: Semicossyphus pulcher Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Labridae

Geography / Habitat: California sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher) are found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean along the California coast, from Monterey Bay to the Gulf of California (Cabo San Lucas). They are sometimes seen in the Gulf of California, Mexico, but are most abundant south of Point Conception, California.

Life Strategy: California sheephead forage during the day with harem members and the dominant male. At night, they station themeselves beneath rock overhangs or within crevices, and like several other species of wrasse, they encase themselves in a protective cocoon of mucus while quiescent. Males display aggressive tendencies, including territorial behaviors during mating.

Food / Feed Strategy: California sheephead consumes benthic invertebrates including the purple sea urchins, Pacific rock crabs, acorn barnacles, mussels, clams, and bryozoans.

They also eat snails, squids, common sand dollars, eccentric sand dollars, and sea cucumbers.

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Body Form or Style:globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Semicossyphus Pulcher: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 118

Common Name: Giant sunfish Scientific Name: Mola mola Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Tetraodontiformes

Family: Molidae

Geography / Habitat: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola, are found in the temperate and tropical regions of the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans (Wheeler, 1969; Sims and Southall, 2002; Houghton et al., 2006). They are commonly observed off the coast of Southern California, Indonesia, the British Isles, the Northern and Southern Isles of New Zealand, the southern coasts of Africa, and in the Mediterranean and occasionally in the North Sea Life Strategy: Ocean sunfish are generally solitary, although they are found in groups when being cleaned by other fish (Hutchins, 2004; Konow et al., 2006). Ocean sunfish use their dorsal and anal fins as their primary means of locomotion. They flap these fins in a synchronous motion, which also allows them to swim on their side Food / Feed Strategy: Ocean sunfish primarily feed on jellyfish and gelatinous zooplankton, such as ctenophores, salps, and medusae. They have also been known to eat soft bodied invertebrates, crustaceans, mollusks, seaweed, eel larvae, and even flounder

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Mola Mola: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 119

Common Name: Blue cod Scientific Name: Ophiodon elongatus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Scorpaeniformes

Family: Hexagrammidae

Geography / Habitat: Ophiodon elongatus is native to the west coast of North America, from the Shumagin Islands in the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California, Mexico. Highest densities are found off the coast of British Columbia, Canada.

Life Strategy: Lingcod are solitary, benthic fish and spend most of their time resting within holes or crevices amongst rocks. Lingcod's cryptic coloration helps it to blend into its rocky surroundings, where it lies in wait to ambush any prey that swims by. Lingcod have also been seen moving into shallower waters at night to feed.

Food / Feed Strategy: Lingcod are ambush predators that eat anything that can fit in their mouths, especially fish and large invertebrates. Lingcod exhibit cannibalism and prey on various species of salmon and rockfish as well as Pacific herring and octopus.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Ophiodon Elongatus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Saltwater Invertebrates

Species #: 120

Common Name: Gobies Scientific Name: Gobiidae Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Gobiidae

Geography / Habitat: Gobies are found worldwide in fresh, brackish and saltwater. They are concentrated in the tropics and subtropics, mainly of the Indo-Pacific, but some marine species can be found in the subarctic streams of southern Siberia. Gobies have been transported beyond their natural range via the intake pipes or ballast water of large ships.

Life Strategy: Nearly all gobies are benthic (bottom-dwelling) but in some groups (Iglossus, Nemateleotris) individuals hover just above the bottom, seldom moving very far from shelter. Many male gobies are extremely aggressive towards invading males but exhibit a much more relaxed behavior in response to females entering their territory.

Food / Feed Strategy: Gobies are classified as zooplanktivores, omnivores, and carnivores, as they feed on a wide variety of small organisms like crabs, shrimps, smaller crustaceans (such as copepods, amphipods, and ostracods), mollusks, annelids, polychaetes, formaninferans, sponges, small fishes, and eggs of various invertebrates and fishes.

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Body Form or Style: anguilliform Swim / Locomotion Style: anguilliform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Gobiidae: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Invertebrates

Species #: 121

Common Name: Longtail knifefish Scientific Name: Sternopygus macrurus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Gymnotiformes

Family: Sternopygidae

Geography / Habitat: Sternopygus macrurus occurs in many freshwater bodies in South America. It is known to inhabit the area from the Magdalena River to the Sao Francisco River and western Ecuador. It is also found in the Catatumbo River and the Amazon in Peru.

Life Strategy: After four days, the Sternopygus macrurus embryos hatch from the eggs.

Seven days later, the larvae make their first feeding. The fish reaches sexual maturity at the age of one year. Mature males are territorial. The species is considered harmless to humans.

Food / Feed Strategy: Sternopygus macrurus is a predator of small invertebrates. Its diet is mainly composed of aquatic insect larvae.

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Body Form or Style: anguilliform Swim / Locomotion Style: subcarangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Sternopygus Macrurus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Invertebrates

Species #: 122

Common Name: African catfish Scientific Name: Clarias gariepinus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Siluriformes

Family: Clariidae

Geography / Habitat: North African catfish have been widely introduced around the world. They are found as far south as South Africa and north into northern Africa. They have also been introduced in Europe, the Middle East, and in parts of Asia. They are potamodromous, which means they migrate within streams and rivers.

Life Strategy: North African catfish are relatively poor swimmers that spends most of the time on the bottom of lakes and rivers (Pienaar 1968). They are, however, able to move across land to another water source during damp conditions (Skelton 1993). They simply extend their strong pectoral fins and spines and begin crawling through shallow pathways.

Food / Feed Strategy: North African catfish are omnivores. They are not specific in their food requirements. They are known to feed on insects, plankton, snails, crabs, shrimp, and other invertebrates. They are also capable of eating dead animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, other fishes, eggs, and plant matter such as fruit and seeds.

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Body Form or Style: fusiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: subterminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Clarias Gariepinus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d.

Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Invertebrates

Species #: 123

Common Name: American burbot Scientific Name: Lota lota Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Gadiformes

Family: Lotidae

Geography / Habitat: Burbot, Lota lota, are a holarctic species native to the cold fresh waters of the Nearctic and Palearctic regions found between 40 and 70 degrees North latitudes.

Life Strategy: Burbot are opportunistic piscivores with a diverse diet. They hide amongst available refugia in their epibenthic habitat such as rocks and fallen logs, and use ambush tactics to capture prey (Kahilainen and Lehtonen 2003). They are crepuscular or nocturnal and seek shallow water to feed. During times of low activity, they congregate in deep holes (Riede 2004; Morrow 1980; Scott and Crossman 1973). In the winter, these fish migrate upstream and form spawning aggregations.

Food / Feed Strategy: Newly hatched burbot are completely planktivorous, and remain so even when they are no longer gape limited (Ghan and Sprules 1993). Diet of larval burbot is dominated by rotifer species for the first two weeks. Diet then shifts to slightly larger nauplii, changing further during week four to cycloid copepods, daphnia, and calanoid copepods (Ghan and Sprules 1993). Juveniles have a diet of molluscs and insect larvae.

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Body Form or Style: compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: carangiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lota Lota: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Invertebrates

Species #: 124

Common Name: Bluegill Scientific Name: Lepomis macrochirus Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Centrarchidae

Geography / Habitat: This species is native to lakes and streams in the St. Lawrence, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River systems. Thus, it ranges from Quebec to northern Mexico.

However, it has been introduced widely in places such as Hawaii, Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe.

Life Strategy: Bluegill are most active at dawn. During the day they stay hidden under cover, and they move to shallow water to spend the night. Schools may contain 10 to 20 fish.

Food / Feed Strategy: The very small mouth of this fish is an adaptation to eating small animals. Bluegills are carnivores, primarily eating invertebrates such as snails, worms, shrimp, aquatic insects, small crayfish, and zooplankton. They can also consume small fish such as minnows and plant material such as algae. Young bluegill eat worms and zooplankton, staying under cover while adults feed more in the open.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: terminal

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Lepomis Macrochirus: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

Title: Freshwater Invertebrates

Species #: 125

Common Name: Bleeding heart Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Characiformes

Family: Characidae

Geography / Habitat: Bleeding heart tetras are native to the neotropical region. The distribution is described as the Upper Amazon River basin. Bleeding heart tetras are found in the Rio Negro of Brazil as well as other regional rivers. Aquarists have known about this species since 1943 and they have since become a popular aquarium fish.

Life Strategy: Bleeding heart tetras, in the aquarium environment, do best in small schools of at least five individuals. Their peaceful demeanor makes an environment composed of larger groups possible without conflict. There is otherwise very little known about the behavior of these fish in the wild.

Food / Feed Strategy: In captivity, bleeding heart tetras eat a variety of foods. It is likely that their wild diet is similar, being made up of small crustaceans, insects, zooplankton, and other organic matter.

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Body Form or Style: globiform Swim / Locomotion Style: ostraciiform Mouth Position: termina;

Citation: "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Hyphessobrycon Erythrostigma: INFORMATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.