Common name : King of herrings, Ribbon fish, Oar fish Scientific name : Regalecus glesne Family : Regalecidae Native to : Oceans worldwide except the poles Interesting fact : The giant oar fish is the world’s longest bony fish growing up to 56 feet long. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The giant oar fish is […]
Common name : Greater silver hatchetfish Scientific name : Argyropelecus gigas Family : Sternoptychidae Native to : Oceans worldwide except the North Pacific Interesting fact : Giant hatchetfish can jumpout of water and catch mosquitoes and flies. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The giant hatchetfish lives deep in the sea with about 45 known species.
Common name : Mekong giant catfish Scientific name : Pangasianodon gigas Family : Pangasiidae Native to : Mekong basin Interesting fact : It is the largest freshwaterfish in the world. Conservation status : Critically Endangered The giant catfish is a large fish that looks like a shark. It is grey to white in colour, lacking
Common name : Ornate ghost pipefish, Harlequin ghost pipefish Scientific name : Solenostomus paradoxus Family : Solenostomidae Native to : Indo-Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : Inside the brooding pouch, branching stalks grow out of the skin and attach to the incubating eggs acting like an umbilical cord. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Ghost pipefish are
Common name : Lizard shark, Scaffold shark Scientific name : Chlamydoselachus anguineus Family : Chlamydoselachidae Native to : Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Interesting fact : This vivaparous shark has a gestation period of three and a half years. Conservation status : Near Threatened Living near the bottom of outer continental shelf and upper continental slope
Common name : Foxface rabbitfish Scientific name : Siganus vulpinus Family : Siganidae Native to : Western Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : When stressed or at night, it changes to a mottled brown-colour for better camouflage amongst rocks and sand. Conservation status : Least Concern The foxface lives in coral-rich areas feeding on macroalgae and
Common name : Butterbun, Kete, School mistress Scientific name : Chaetodon capistratus Family : Chaetodontidae Native to : Western Atlantic Ocean Interesting fact : This four-eyed butterfly fish makes an attractive aquarium fish due to its small size. Conservation status : Least Concern You may have seen this attractive fish in photos of coral reefs.
Common name : Backspot flying fish Scientific name : Cheilopogon dorsomacula Family : Exocoetidae Native to : Pacific Oceans Interesting fact : Since a flying fish is attracted by light, a fisherman uses light to lure it to his boat. Conservation status : Least Concern The predators of the flying fish have a tough time
Scientific name : Olindias formosus Family : Olindiidae Native to : Brazil, Argentina and Southern Japan Interesting fact : The sting of a flower hat jelly can cause rashes in humans and blooms of these fish affect shrimp fishing. Conservation status : Not Evaluated A flower hat jelly looks like a colourful firework with its
The fish’s scales act as protective barriers from harmful objects such as bacteria, parasites and fungi in addition to protecting its soft body. They also determine the fish’s age. Water slides over it scales causing no resistance as the fish speeds through the water. However, the hardness of the scales determines the movements of the
Common name : Baltic flounder, Mud flounder, River flounder, White fluke Scientific name : Platichthys flesus Family : Pleuronectidae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : Flounders hide in the ocean floor with the eye-side facing up. Conservation status : Least Concern A flounder is a group of round, flatfish living in the ocean
Scientific name : Cyphoma gibbosum Family : Ovulidae Native to : Western Atlantic Ocean Interesting fact : The mantle acts like gills absorbing oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The flamingo tongue snail is a small, brightly coloured sea snail living on corals. The shell is covered by live, bright orange-yellow
Common name : Pfeffer’s flamboyant cuttlefish Scientific name : Metasepia pfefferi Family : Sepiidae Native to : Indo-Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : Flamboyant cuttlefish is the only known poisonous cuttlefish. Conservation status : Data Deficient This colourful, flamboyant cuttlefish is patterned and can change its body colour in a flash. Measuring 8 cm, it has
Common name : Japanese firefly squid, Sparkling enope squid Scientific name : Watasenia scintillans Family : Enoploteuthidae Native to : Western Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : Every year, a natural lightshow happens in the coast of Japan as these squids gather for spawning. Conservation status : Least Concern The firefly squid is aptly named, as
Common name : Fin-backed whale, Finner, Common rorqual, Herring whale, Razorback Scientific name : Balaenoptera physalus Family : Balaenopteridae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : Fin whales can swim up to a speed of 40 km per hour Conservation status : Endangered Measuring 18.5-22.0 metres long, fin whales are the second largest animals