According to fossil records, they have been on Earth for more than 500 million years! The total number of living fish species-about 32,000- is greater than the total of all other vertebrate species (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) combined. Another is that fish are very old on the evolutionary scale. The animals in this group live in a variety of habitats ranging from coral reefs and kelp forests to rivers, streams, and the open ocean. One reason fish are so diverse is that 70 percent of the planet is covered in water. Those that can are mostly members of one of the eel. Little is known about most of the fishes that live deep in the oceans, where the pressures are extreme, light is nearly absent, and the water. A number of fish species can swim backwards, but usually dont. New discovery about sensory system of deep-sea fish. The dedicated study of deep-sea fishes dates to the early 19th century ().Some authors thought the deep sea contained slowly evolving living fossils that were outcompeted from the shallow realm (). Sustained swimming speeds generally range from about 5 to 10 miles per hour among strong swimmers. They can reach 50 miles per hour in short bursts. Others can find their prey and even navigate by detecting electrical charges. Tunas and tuna-like fish, billfish, and certain sharks are the speed champions. Many can detect motion in the water using a special row of scales with sensors known as the lateral line. Because water transmits sounds, disperses chemicals, and conducts electricity better than air, fish rely less on their vision and more on their hearing, taste, and smell. Some species, such as the weedy sea dragon, are so bizarre they seem almost unreal.įish have developed special senses, too. Whale sharks, the largest fish, give birth to live young and eat only tiny fish, squid, and plankton. Eels, by contrast, have worm-like bodies and exceedingly slimy skin. Fin fish like salmon have gills, are covered in scales, and reproduce by laying eggs. In this slideshow, we will look at some of the most interesting and amazing species of fish that live in the ocean. All fish share two traits: they live in water and they have a backbone-they are vertebrates.Īpart from these similarities, however, many of the species in this group differ markedly from one another. Everyone knows what a fish is: from a pet goldfish to a wild sunfish, fish are globally recognized and are an important global protein source.
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