Portal:Fish

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A fish is an aquatic, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with a tough cranium to protect the brain, but lacking limbs with digits. Fish can be grouped into the more basal jawless fish and the more common jawed fish, the latter including all living cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as the extinct placoderms and acanthodians. In a break from the long tradition of grouping all fish into a single class (Pisces), modern phylogenetics views fish as a paraphyletic group that includes all vertebrates except tetrapods. In English, the plural of "fish" is fish when referring to individuals and fishes when referring to species.

The earliest fish appeared during the Cambrian as small filter feeders; they continued to evolve through the Paleozoic, diversifying into many forms. The earliest fish with dedicated respiratory gills and paired fins, the ostracoderms, had heavy bony plates that served as protective exoskeletons against invertebrate predators. The first fish with jaws, the placoderms, appeared in the Silurian and greatly diversified during the Devonian, the "Age of Fishes".

Bony fish, distinguished by the presence of swim bladders and later ossified endoskeletons, emerged as the dominant group of fish after the end-Devonian extinction wiped out the apex predators, the placoderms. Bony fish are further divided into lobe-finned and ray-finned fishes. About 96% of all living fish species today are teleosts- a crown group of ray-finned fish that can protrude their jaws. The tetrapods, a mostly terrestrial clade of vertebrates that have dominated the top trophic levels in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems since the Late Paleozoic, evolved from lobe-finned fish during the Carboniferous, developing air-breathing lungs homologous to swim bladders. (Full article...)

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Image 1

The dark shyshark or pretty happy (Haploblepharus pictus) is a species of shark belonging to the family Pentanchidae, the deepwater catsharks. This species is endemic to the temperate waters off southern Namibia and western South Africa. It is benthic in nature and inhabits shallow, inshore waters and favors rocky reefs and kelp forests. Growing to 60 cm (24 in) long, this small, stocky shark has a wide, flattened head with a rounded snout and a large flap of skin extending from before the nostrils to the mouth. Its dorsal coloration is extremely variable and may feature black-edged orange to blackish saddles and/or white spots on a light brown to nearly black background.

When threatened, the dark shyshark curls into a ring with its tail covering its eyes, hence the name "shyshark". It preys mainly on small crustaceans, bony fishes, and molluscs. Reproduction is oviparous and proceeds throughout the year. Females lay two egg cases at a time, which hatch after 6–10 months. This harmless species is of little commercial significance due to its small size. It is frequently caught by recreational fishers and persecuted as a pest. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the dark shyshark under Least Concern, as it is common and does not appear to be substantially threatened by fishing or habitat degradation. (Full article...)
Image 2

The great northern tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) or golden tile, is the largest species in the family Malacanthidae (tilefishes). It grows to a length of between 38 and 44 inches (970 and 1,120 mm). The great northern tilefish is a slow-growing and long-lived species that has four stages of life. After hatching from eggs, the larvae are found in plankton. As they grow into juveniles, the individuals seek shelter until finding or making their own burrows. As adults, the tilefish continue to expand their burrows in the sediment throughout their lives. The diet of the larvae is unknown, but presumed to consist of zooplankton; juveniles and adults feed upon various benthic invertebrates, crustaceans, and fish. After reaching sexual maturity between 5 and 7 years of age, females lay eggs throughout the mating season for the male to fertilize, with each female laying an average of 2.3 million eggs.

The great northern tilefish fishery has been regulated to prevent overfishing. Regulations include catch limits and gear restrictions to prevent damage to the species' habitat and population. The result of these regulations has been a rebounding of the population, which led to an increase in the 2012 catch limit in the southern part of the Atlantic seaboard. (Full article...)
Image 3

Outline drawing of the fossil by Othniel Charles Marsh, 1896

Thinopus is the name given to a trace fossil (ichnotaxon) found in late Devonian rocks in Pennsylvania. The only specimen was described by paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh in a brief note published in 1896, with the only ichnospecies Thinopus antiquus. Marsh interpreted it as the fossil footprints of an early amphibian, making it the oldest evidence for tetrapods (land vertebrates) known at the time. Later research, however, argued that the fossil is better interpreted as the impressions of coprolites (fossilized feces) of fish. This would make Thinopus the earliest published name of a fish coprolite. (Full article...)
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The slender smooth-hound or gollumshark (Gollum attenuatus) is a species of ground shark in the family Pseudotriakidae. It is endemic to the waters around New Zealand, where it is usually found close to the bottom over the continental slope at depths of 300–600 m (980–1,970 ft). An extremely slim, plain brownish shark reaching 1.1 m (3.6 ft) in length, the slender smooth-hound can be identified by its broad, flattened head with a long, distinctively bell-shaped snout. Its mouth is angular with short furrows at the corners, and contains a very high number of tooth rows in both jaws. Its two dorsal fins are roughly equal in size.

The diet of the slender smooth-hound is diverse, but dominated by small, benthic bony fishes and decapod crustaceans. It exhibits a specialised form of aplacental viviparity with oophagy: the females produce a single capsule in each uterus that contains 30–80 ova, of which one ovum develops into an embryo that consumes the rest of the ova and stores the yolk material in its external yolk sac. The growing embryo is mainly sustained by this yolk sac during gestation, though it may be additionally supplied with histotroph ("uterine milk") produced by the mother. The typical litter size is two pups, one per uterus. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed the slender smooth-hound as Least Concern; it is taken as fishery bycatch but not in great numbers, and furthermore large portions of its range see minimal fishing activity. (Full article...)
Image 5

The banded houndshark (Triakis scyllium) is a species of houndshark in the family Triakidae, common in the northwestern Pacific Ocean from the southern Russian Far East to Taiwan. Found on or near the bottom, it favors shallow coastal habitats with sandy or vegetated bottoms, and also enters brackish water. This shark reaches 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in length. It has a short, rounded snout and mostly narrow fins; the pectoral fins are broad and triangular, and the trailing margin of the first dorsal fin is almost vertical. It is gray above and lighter below; younger sharks have darker saddles and dots, which fade with age.

Nocturnal and largely solitary, the banded houndshark preys on benthic invertebrates and bony fishes. It is aplacental viviparous, with the developing embryos sustained by yolk. After mating during summer, females bear as many as 42 pups following a gestation period of 9–12 months. The banded houndshark poses no danger to humans and adapts well to captivity. It is caught as bycatch off Japan, Taiwan, and likely elsewhere in its range; it may be eaten but is not as well-regarded as related species. Because fishing does not appear to have diminished this shark's population, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed it under Endangered. (Full article...)
Image 6

Roughtail stingray (Bathytoshia centroura) at McGrail Bank, Gulf of Mexico

The roughtail stingray (Bathytoshia centroura) is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, with separate populations in coastal waters of the northwestern and southwestern Atlantic Ocean. This bottom-dwelling species typically inhabits sandy or muddy areas with patches of invertebrate cover, at a depth of 15–50 m (49–164 ft). It is seasonally migratory, overwintering in offshore waters and moving into coastal habitats for summer. The largest whip-tail stingray in the Atlantic, the roughtail stingray grows up to 2.6 m (8.5 ft) across and 360 kg (800 lb) in weight. It is plain in color, with an angular, diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc and a long, whip-like tail bearing a subtle fin fold underneath. The many thorns on its back and tail serve to distinguish it from other stingrays that share its range.

Often found lying on the bottom buried in sediment, the roughtail stingray is a generalist predator that feeds on a variety of benthic invertebrates and bony fishes. It is aplacental viviparous, with the embryos receiving nourishment initially from yolk, and later from histotroph ("uterine milk") produced by the mother. The venomous tail spine of the roughtail stingray is potentially dangerous to humans. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed this species as vulnerable overall. (Full article...)
Image 7

Fish maw with abalone and broccoli

Fish maw (also fish sound) is the swim bladder of a fish, eaten as offal. Typically dried or fried but also cooked from fresh, fish maw is largely collagen. It is a traditional food in cuisines dominated by fishing, and a particular delicacy in Chinese cuisine—one of the four sea delicacies—as well as a valued ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. The modern demand for fish maw from Pacific Asia supports wildlife trade worldwide for quality fish maw, which has in turn led to wildlife smuggling and poaching. (Full article...)
Image 8

Giant oarfish, Regalecus glesne

Oarfish are the 3 species of large and extremely long pelagic lampriform fish belonging to the small family Regalecidae. Found in areas spanning from temperate ocean zones to tropical ones, yet rarely seen by humans, the oarfish family contains three species in two genera: Regalecus glesne (giant oarfish), Regalecus russelii (Russell's oarfish), and Agrostichthys parkeri (streamer fish).

The giant oarfish is the longest bony fish alive, growing up to about 8 m (26 ft) in length. (Full article...)
Image 9

The silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus) is a large species of requiem shark in the family carcharhinidae, with a fragmented distribution throughout the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is often encountered around offshore islands and coral reefs, and has been known to dive to a depth of 800 m (2,600 ft). The silvertip shark resembles a larger and bulkier grey reef shark (C. amblyrhynchos), but can be easily identified by the prominent white margins on its fins. It attains a maximum length of 3 m (10 ft).

It feeds on a wide variety of bony fishes, as well as eagle rays, smaller sharks, and cephalopods. This species dominates other requiem sharks of equal size when competing for food, and larger individuals are often heavily scarred from conflicts with others of its species. As with other members of its family, the silvertip shark is viviparous, with females giving birth to one to 11 pups in the summer. Silvertip sharks are regarded as potentially dangerous to humans, as they often approach divers quite closely. This slow-reproducing species is taken by commercial fisheries for its meat, fins, skin, cartilage, and jaws and teeth, which has apparently led to local population declines or extirpations. (Full article...)
Image 10

The sicklefin lemon shark (Negaprion acutidens) or sharptooth lemon shark is a species of requiem shark belonging to the family Carcharhinidae, widely distributed in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. It is closely related to the better-known lemon shark (N. brevirostris) of the Americas; the two species are almost identical in appearance, both being stout-bodied sharks with broad heads, two dorsal fins of nearly equal size, and a plain yellow-tinged coloration. As its common name suggests, the sicklefin lemon shark differs from its American counterpart in having more falcate (sickle-shaped) fins. This large species grows up to 3.8 m (12 ft) long. It generally inhabits water less than 92 m (302 ft) deep in a variety of habitats, from mangrove estuaries to coral reefs.

A slow-moving predator feeding mainly on bony fishes, the sicklefin lemon shark seldom travels long distances and many individuals can be found year-round at certain locations. Like other members of its family, this species is viviparous, with females giving birth to no more than 13 pups every other year, following a gestation period of 10–11 months. Although they are potentially dangerous to humans and known to respond vigorously to any provocation, under normal circumstances, sicklefin lemon sharks are cautious and tend to retreat if approached. The IUCN has assessed this species as Endangered; its low reproductive productivity and rate of movement limits the capacity of depleted stocks to recover. Off India and Southeast Asia, this species has been severely depleted or extirpated by unregulated exploitation for its meat, fins, and liver oil. (Full article...)
Image 11

The black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri), also commonly known as the southern black bream, southern bream and blue-nosed bream, is a species of anadromous ray-finned fish of the porgy family Sparidae. A deep-bodied fish, it is occasionally confused with other similar species that occur within its range, but is generally distinguished from these species by a lack of yellow ventral and anal fins. Southern black bream are endemic to the southern coasts of Australia from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Ulladulla, New South Wales, as well as Tasmania.

The black bream is primarily an inhabitant of brackish waters of estuaries and coastal lakes, rarely entering the open ocean, as it cannot complete its life cycle in a fully marine environment. During the breeding season, the species is known to penetrate into the upper reaches of rivers to spawn, causing an influx of juveniles in the estuaries a few months later. It is an opportunistic predator, consuming a wide range of crustaceans, molluscs, polychaetes and forage fish. (Full article...)
Image 12

The yellow stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis) is a species of stingray in the family Urotrygonidae, found in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Trinidad. This bottom-dwelling species inhabits sandy, muddy, or seagrass bottoms in shallow inshore waters, commonly near coral reefs.

Female yellow stingrays are larger than males. Females reach about a maximum length of about 26 inches whereas the male will reach a maximum length of about 15 inches across. The yellow stingray has a round pectoral fin disc and a short tail with a well-developed caudal fin. It has a highly variable but distinctive dorsal color pattern consisting of either light-on-dark or dark-on-light reticulations forming spots and blotches, and can rapidly change the tonality of this coloration to improve its camouflage. (Full article...)
Image 13

The bluespotted ribbontail ray (Taeniura lymma) is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. Found from the intertidal zone to a depth of 30 m (100 ft), this species is common throughout the tropical Indian and western Pacific Oceans in nearshore, coral reef–associated habitats. It is a fairly small ray, not exceeding 35 cm (14 in) in width, with a mostly smooth, oval pectoral fin disc, large protruding eyes, and a relatively short and thick tail with a deep fin fold underneath. It can be easily identified by its striking color pattern of many electric blue spots on a yellowish background, with a pair of blue stripes on the tail.

At night, small groups of bluespotted ribbontail rays follow the rising tide onto sandy flats to root for small benthic invertebrates and bony fishes in the sediment. When the tide recedes, the rays separate and withdraw to shelters on the reef. Reproduction is Ovoviviparity. With the females giving birth to litters of up to seven young. This ray is capable of injuring humans with its venomous tail spines, though it prefers to flee if threatened. Because of its beauty and size, the bluespotted ribbontail ray is popular with private aquarists despite being poorly suited to captivity. (Full article...)
Image 14

The thornback guitarfish (Platyrhinoidis triseriata) is a species of ray in the family Platyrhinidae, and the only member of its genus. Despite its name and appearance, it is more closely related to electric rays than to true guitarfishes of the family Rhinobatidae. This species ranges from Tomales Bay to the Gulf of California, generally in inshore waters no deeper than 6 m (20 ft). It can be found on or buried in sand or mud, or in and near kelp beds. Reaching 91 cm (36 in) in length, the thornback guitarfish has a heart-shaped pectoral fin disc and a long, robust tail bearing two posteriorly positioned dorsal fins and a well-developed caudal fin. The most distinctive traits of this plain-colored ray are the three parallel rows of large, hooked thorns that start from the middle of the back and run onto the tail.

Encountered singly or in groups, the thornback guitarfish feeds on small, benthic invertebrates and bony fishes. It is aplacental viviparous, with the developing young drawing sustenance from a yolk sac. Females give birth to 1–15 pups annually in late summer, following a roughly year-long gestation period. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the thornback guitarfish under Least Concern because the majority of its range lies within United States waters, where it is common since it has no commercial value and is not heavily fished commercially or recreationally. The status of this species in Mexican waters is inadequately known but may be more precarious. (Full article...)
Image 15

The finless sleeper ray (Temera hardwickii) is a species of electric ray in the family Narkidae, and the sole member of its genus. It is found over the continental shelf of Southeast Asia from the eastern Andaman Sea to Vietnam and Borneo. Typically growing no more than 15 cm (5.9 in) long, it may be the smallest cartilaginous fish. The finless sleeper ray is the only electric ray that lacks dorsal fins. It has an oval pectoral fin disc that varies from longer than wide to wider than long, depending on age, and a short, robust tail that terminates in a short, deep caudal fin. The trailing margins of its pelvic fins are sexually dimorphic, being more concave in males.

Like other members of its family, the finless sleeper ray can generate a defensive electric shock from paired electric organs in its disc. It gives birth to live young, with the developing embryos nourished by yolk. A litter size of four has been recorded from one individual. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed the finless sleeper ray as Vulnerable. This slow-reproducing species is caught by intensive bottom trawl and possibly other fisheries throughout its range, which likely cause high mortality regardless of whether it is discarded or utilised. (Full article...)

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Short-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus hippocampus)

A seahorse (also written sea-horse and sea horse) is any of 46 species of small marine bony fish in the genus Hippocampus. The genus name comes from the Ancient Greek hippókampos (ἱππόκαμπος), itself from híppos (ἵππος) meaning "horse" and kámpos (κάμπος) meaning "sea monster" or "sea animal". Having a head and neck suggestive of a horse, seahorses also feature segmented bony armour, an upright posture and a curled prehensile tail. Along with the pipefishes and seadragons (Phycodurus and Phyllopteryx) they form the family Syngnathidae. (Full article...)

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Did you know (auto-generated) - load new batch

... that Phallichthys (literally 'penis fish') species are so called because the males have "comparatively huge" sex appendages?
... that small Poecilia gillii males have longer sex organs than larger males, to facilitate mating with females that flee from them?
... that male fish in the subclass Holocephali often have special organs on top of their head that are used to grasp females while mating?
... that a medieval treasure hoard was found by a woman digging for worms to use as fishing bait?
... that Caspar Schmalkalden's 17th-century travelogue describes noises made by animals like the three-toed sloth and the hedgehog fish?
... that Arthur Yorinks's children's book Louis the Fish was inspired by Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis?

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The following are images from various fish-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1The giant whale shark, another resident of the ocean epipelagic zone, filter feeds on plankton, and periodically dives deep into the mesopelagic zone. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 2Benthic flatfish and benthopelagic cod on a shore – Jan van Kessel senior, 1626–1679 (from Demersal fish)
Image 3Long-spined sea scorpion (from Coastal fish)
Image 4Humpback anglerfish (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 5The rattail Coryphaenoides armatus (abyssal grenadier) on the Davidson Seamount at a depth of 2,253 metres (7,392 ft). (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 6The stoplight loosejaw has a lower jaw one-quarter as long as its body. The jaw has no floor and is attached only by a hinge and a modified tongue bone. Large fang-like teeth in the front are followed by many small barbed teeth. (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 7The stargazer is an ambush predator which can deliver both venom and electric shocks. It has been called "the meanest thing in creation". (from Coastal fish)
Image 8Cross-section of an ocean basin. Note significant vertical exaggeration. (from Demersal fish)
Image 9Shortfin mako shark make long seasonal migrations. They appear to follow temperature gradients, and have been recorded travelling more than 4,500 km in one year. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 10Scale diagram of the layers of the pelagic zone (from Pelagic fish)
Image 11World distribution of plankton (from Coastal fish)
Image 12Many bristlemouth species, such as the "spark anglemouth" above, are also bathypelagic ambush predators that can swallow prey larger than themselves. They are among the most abundant of all vertebrate families. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 13The yellow tang, a usually placid surgeon fish, can erect spines in its tail and slash at its opponent with rapid sideways movements. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 14The sea goldie is an anthias. They are hermaphrodite, and swim in "harems". (from Coastal fish)
Image 15Red snapper, are generalized reef feeders with standard jaw and mouth structures that allow them to eat almost anything, though they prefer small fish and crustaceans. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 16Pacific decadal anomalies – April 2008 (from Pelagic fish)
Image 17Cod-like fishes, like this morid cod have a barbel (fleshy filament) on their lower jaw which they use to detect prey buried in the sand or mud. (from Coastal fish)
Image 18Most mesopelagic fishes are small filter feeders that ascend at night to feed in the nutrient rich waters of the epipelagic zone. During the day, they return to the dark, cold, oxygen-deficient waters of the mesopelagic where they are relatively safe from predators. Lanternfish account for as much as 65% of all deep sea fish biomass and are largely responsible for the deep scattering layer of the world's oceans. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 19Bigeye tuna cruise the epipelagic zone at night and the mesopelagic zone during the day (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 20Kelp forests can provide shelter and food for shallow water fish (from Coastal fish)
Image 21Whitetip reef sharks spend much of the day lying still on the bottom. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 22Lantern fish (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 23Lanternfish are partial residents of the ocean epipelagic zone During the day they hide in deep waters, but at night they migrate up to surface waters to feed. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 24Schooling threadfin, a coastal species (from Pelagic fish)
Image 25Herring reflectors are nearly vertical for camouflage from the side. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 26A school of large pelagic predator fish (bluefin trevally) sizing up a school of small pelagic prey fish (anchovies) (from Pelagic fish)
Image 27This estuary of the Klamath River is a transition zone between a freshwater river environment and a saltwater marine environment. Due to land runoff, river mouths and estuary waters can be turbid and nutrient rich, sometimes to the point of eutrophication. (from Coastal fish)
Image 28Schooling threadfin, a coastal species (from Coastal fish)
Image 29Cross-section of an ocean basin, note significant vertical exaggeration (from Pelagic fish)
Image 30Pelican eel (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 31Profile illustrating the shelf, slope and rise (from Demersal fish)
Image 32Scale diagram of the layers of the pelagic zone (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 33The great hammerhead detects the electrical signatures of stingrays buried in the sand and pins them with its "hammer". (from Demersal fish)
Image 34An annotated diagram of the basic external features of an abyssal grenadier and standard length measurements. (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 35Distribution of coral reefs (from Coral reef fish)
Image 36Australian blenny (from Coastal fish)
Image 37Orange roughy (from Pelagic fish)
Image 38The daggertooth paralyses other mesopelagic fish when it bites them with its dagger-like teeth (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 39Adult blacktip reef sharks often patrol reef ledges. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 40Young, red flabby whalefish make nightly vertical migrations into the lower mesopelagic zone to feed on copepods. When males mature into adults, they develop a massive liver and then their jaws fuse shut. They no longer eat, but continue to metabolise the energy stored in their liver. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 41
The global continental shelf, highlighted in light blue
(from Coastal fish)
Image 42A Caribbean reef shark cruises a coral reef in the Bahamas. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 43The stargazer Uranoscopus sulphureus (from Demersal fish)
Image 44Major ocean surface currents (from Pelagic fish)
Image 45A hawkfish, safely perched on Acropora, surveys its surroundings. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 46The yellowfin goatfish changes its colour so it can school with blue-striped snappers (from Coastal fish)
Image 47In the foreground is an orange-lined triggerfish displaying spines. Triggerfish have mouths that crush shells. Orange-lined triggerfish are particularly aggressive. The black and white fish are three-stripe damselfish and the unstriped fish are blue-green chromis damselfish. If the triggerfish attacks, the damselfish will hide in the nearby cauliflower coral. If the triggerfish wants to hide, it will squeeze into a coral crevice and lock itself in place with its spines. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 48The sluggish bathydemersal false catshark, shown here at a depth of 1,200 meters, has an enormous oil-filled liver which lets it hover off the continental slope at near-neutral buoyancy. It feeds on cephalopods, cutthroat eels, grenadiers, snake mackerel, and lanternsharks. (from Demersal fish)
Image 49Head-on view of the venomous lionfish (from Coral reef fish)
Image 50Flounder have both eyes on one side of their head (from Demersal fish)
Image 51Areas of upwelling in red (from Pelagic fish)
Image 52Demersal fish output in 2005 (from Demersal fish)
Image 53Oceanic fish inhabit the oceanic zone, which is the deep open water which lies beyond the continental shelves. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 54Humans seldom encounter frilled sharks alive, so they pose little danger (though scientists have accidentally cut themselves examining their teeth). (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 55Predator bluefin trevally sizing up schooling anchovies (from Coastal fish)
Image 56Bluespotted ribbontail rays migrate in schools onto shallow sands to feed on mollusks, shrimps, crabs and worms. (from Demersal fish)
Image 57Rhinogobius flumineus swim on the beds of rivers (from Demersal fish)
Image 58Surgeonfish are among the most common of coral reef herbivores, often feeding in shoals. This may be a mechanism for overwhelming the highly aggressive defence responses of small territorial damselfishes that vigorously guard small patches of algae on coral reefs. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 59Smooth lumpsucker inflated in a defensive response (from Coastal fish)
Image 60Gigantactis is a deep-sea fish with a dorsal fin whose first filament has become very long and is tipped with a bioluminescent photophore lure. (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 61Giant grenadier, an elongate deep water demersal fish with large eyes and well-developed lateral lines (from Demersal fish)
Image 62Some flatfish can camouflage themselves on the ocean floor (from Demersal fish)
Image 63Giant grenadier, an elongate benthic fish with large eyes and well-developed lateral lines (from Pelagic fish)
Image 64Coral reef drop-offs are a favoured habitat for grey reef sharks. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 65The huge ocean sunfish, a true resident of the ocean epipelagic zone, sometimes drifts with the current, eating jellyfish. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 66Giant trevally are great gamefish found in Indo-Pacific tropical waters. They are powerful apex predators in most of their habitats, hunting both individually and in schools. (from Coastal fish)
Image 67The foureye butterflyfish has a false eyespot on its sides, which can confuse prey and predators (from Coastal fish)
Image 68The sand tiger shark is a large coastal shark that inhabits coastal waters worldwide. Its numbers are declining, and it is now listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. (from Coastal fish)
Image 69The whitetip reef shark almost exclusively inhabits coral reefs. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 70The stoplight loosejaw is also one of the few fishes that produce red bioluminescence. As most of their prey cannot perceive red light, this allows it to hunt with an essentially invisible beam of light. (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 71The fish that inhabit coral reefs are numerous and diverse. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 72Areas of upwelling in red (from Coastal fish)
Image 73Patagonian toothfish (from Pelagic fish)
Image 74Bluespotted ribbontail ray resting on the seafloor (from Demersal fish)
Image 75Long-snouted lancetfish. Lancetfish are ambush predators which spend all their time in the mesopelagic zone. They are among the largest mesopelagic fishes (up to 2 m (6.6 ft). (from Deep-sea fish)
Image 76Monogenean parasites of the genus Pseudorhabdosynochus (arrows) on the gill filament of a grouper. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 77The humpback anglerfish is a bathypelagic ambush predator, which attracts prey with a bioluminescent lure. It can ingest prey larger than itself, which it swallows with an inrush of water when it opens its mouth. (from Pelagic fish)
Image 78Coral reefs support flourishing ecosystems, paradoxically in clear, low nutrient waters, along tropical continental coasts and around volcanic islands. Coral reef fish are numerous and diverse. (from Coastal fish)
Image 79Most coral reef fish have spines in their fins like this damselfish. (from Coral reef fish)
Image 80Rock goby (from Coastal fish)
Image 81Most of the rest of the mesopelagic fishes are ambush predators, such as this sabertooth fish. The sabertooth uses its telescopic, upward-pointing eyes to pick out prey silhouetted against the gloom above. Their recurved teeth prevent a captured fish from backing out. (from Pelagic fish)

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Selected images

Image 1
Orange-lined triggerfish
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Image 2
Pennant coralfish
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Image 3
Discus
Author: M. Kraus (Fg-tiger), Uploader: Überraschungsbilder
A discus (Symphysodon discus) is guarding its eggs. As for most cichlids, brood care is highly developed with both the parents caring for the young. Additionally, adult discus produce a secretion through their skin, off which the larvae live during their first few days.
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Image 4
Redeye gaper
Photo: Steve Ross, NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration
The redeye gaper (Chaunax stigmaeus) is a sedentary species of anglerfish native to deep waters in the western North Atlantic from the Georges Bank off New England southward to the Blake Plateau off South Carolina. It is a sedentary ambush predator that spends most of its time resting on the sea floor on its pectoral and pelvic fins, moving only to capture prey or avoid predators.
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Image 5
Rhinogobius flumineus
Photograph credit: Seotaro
Rhinogobius flumineus, also known as the lizard goby, is a species of goby in the family Oxudercidae endemic to Japan, seen here in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. A small freshwater fish found in fast-flowing streams, it maintains its position against the current by gripping a rock with a sucker formed from two of its fins. The fish's mouth is slightly asymmetric; dextral (right-sided) fish tend to curve their bodies to the right as they rest, while sinistral (left-sided) fish tend to adopt a left-curving posture. The fish are omnivorous, picking edible items off the stream bed with the side of the mouth, but dextral and sinistral fish show no preference for which side of the mouth they use for this purpose.
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Atlantic salmon larva
Photo credit: Uwe Kils
An Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) egg hatching. The Alevin (larva) has grown around the remains of the yolk sac - visible are the arteries spinning around the yolk and little oildrops, also the gut, the spine, the main caudal blood vessel, the bladder and the arcs of the gills. In about 24 hours it will be a fry without yolk sac.
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Longnose sawshark
Artist: William Buelow Gould
A sketch of a longnose sawshark (Pristiophorus cirratus), a species of sawshark found in the eastern Indian Ocean around southern Australia on the continental shelf at depths of between 40 and 310 m (130 and 1,020 ft). It is a medium-sized shark with a saw-like flattened snout which measures up to thirty percent of its body size.
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Blackback butterflyfish
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Siamese fighting fish
Photo by Daniella Vereeken
The Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), or fighting betta is a freshwater fish related to the paradise fish. The fighting fish is a species in the Gourami family which is popular as an aquarium fish. They are called pla-kad (biting fish) in Thai or trey krem in Khmer. They are a very territorial fish and it is unwise to house two males together. Even the females may become territorial towards each other if not housed in a large enough tank.
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Oscar (fish)
Photo credit: Jón Helgi Jónsson
The Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) is a species of fish from the cichlid family. In South America, where the species occurs, they are often found for sale as a food fish in the local markets. The species is also a popular aquarium fish. They have been reported to grow to a length of 45 cm (ca. 18 in) and a mass of 1.6 kg (3.5 lb).
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Thrissops formosus
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Turbot
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Oscar
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Koi feeding
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Peacock flounder
Photo: Mila Zinkova
The Peacock flounder (Bothus mancus) is a species of lefteye flounder found widely in relatively shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific. This photomontage shows four separate views of the same fish, each several minutes apart, starting from the top left. Over the course of the photos, the fish changes its colors to match its new surroundings, and then finally (bottom right) buries itself in the sand, leaving only the eyes protruding.
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Orbicular batfish
Photograph: Alexander Vasenin
The orbicular batfish (Platax orbicularis) is a batfish endemic to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It has a thin, disc-shaped body, and male can grow up to 50 centimetres (20 in) in length. In the wild, the orbicular batfish lives in brackish or marine waters, usually around reefs, at depths from 5 to 30 metres (20 to 100 ft). It is also a popular aquarium fish, although captive specimens generally do not grow as long as wild ones.
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Spotted trunkfish
Photograph credit: Betty Wills
The spotted trunkfish (Lactophrys bicaudalis) is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Ostraciidae, native to the Caribbean Sea and parts of the western Atlantic Ocean. Members of this family are known as boxfishes because they have a hard outer covering consisting of hexagonal, plate-like scales fused together into a solid, triangular or box-like carapace. Because of this casing, the body of the spotted trunkfish is not flexible, and locomotion is normally limited to slow movements performed by rippling its dorsal and anal fins and gently beating its pectoral fins. If faster motion is required, it can additionally use its caudal fin for propulsion. This spotted trunkfish was photographed at a depth of about 40 ft (12 m) at Bari Reef, Bonaire.
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Gar
Photo by Raimond Spekking
In American English, the name gar (or garpike) is strictly applied to members of the Lepisosteidae, a family including seven living species of fish in two genera that inhabit fresh, brackish, and occasionally marine, waters of eastern North America, Central America, and the Caribbean islands.
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Brachysomophis cirrocheilos
Photograph credit: Rickard Zerpe
Brachysomophis cirrocheilos, the stargazer snake eel, is a marine fish belonging to the family Ophichthidae. It is native to shallow tropical and subtropical waters in the western Indo-Pacific region. It hunts at night for crustaceans and small fish, after which it submerges itself into the sediment tail first and remains there all day, with just its eyes and the top of its head projecting, as seen here in Batangas Bay in the Philippines.
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Pterois
Photo credit: Christian Mehlführer
Broadbarred firefish (Pterois antennata) in Schönbrunn Zoo, Vienna, Austria. Pterois is a genus of marine fish found mostly in the Indo-Pacific. Scorpionfish is another common name of Pterois, as its spines are venomous.
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Red lionfish
Photo credit: Jens Petersen
The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a venomous coral reef fish from the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. It was also introduced to the east coast of the United States, and can be found from Florida to Long Island, New York. This specimen was found at Tasik Ria, Manado, Indonesia.
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Valentinni's sharpnose puffer
Photo by Jenny Huang
Valentinni's sharpnose puffer, Canthigaster valentini, is a pufferfish of the genus Canthigaster, and can be found in reefs throughout the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. It reaches a maximum length of 11 cm. It is also referred to as a black saddled toby.
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Paleontological sites of Lebanon
Photo: Mbz1
A plate with fossils of Pseudostacus sp. (lobster, left) and Diplomystus birdii (fish, right), from the Hakel paleontological formation in Lebanon. The paleontological sites of Lebanon contain deposits of some of the best-preserved fossils in the world, and include some species found nowhere else. The most famous of these is the Lebanese lagerstätten of the Late Cretaceous age.
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Ocellaris clownfish
Photograph: Nick Hobgood
The ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) is a marine fish of the family Pomacentridae. Reaching about 110 mm (4.3 in) in length, the species may have a range of colors. After clownfish hatch, they initially reside near the surface. When they become juveniles, however, they move to the seafloor to find a host anemone, forming a symbiotic relationship in which they obtain protection in return for defense.
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Dried seahorse used in traditional Chinese medicine
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Caesio teres
Photograph: Nick Hobgood
Caesio teres is a pelagic marine fish belonging to the family Caesionidae. Widely distributed throughout the tropical waters of the Indian and western Pacific Ocean, this species feeds on zooplankton. It can grow to 40 cm (16 in) in length.
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Icefish
Photo credit: Uwe Kils
Icefish are a type of Antarctic fish belonging to various families, including the Channichthyidae family. They have no haemoglobin and their blood is transparent. They feed on krill, copepods, and other fish. Icefish rely on well-oxygenated water and absorb oxygen directly through the skin as they lack red blood cells.
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Australian blenny
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Giant grouper
Photo credit: Diliff
The giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), shown here with a school of golden trevally, is the largest bony fish found in coral reefs, and the aquatic emblem of Queensland, Australia. The species can grow as large as 2.7 meters (9 ft) long, weighing up to 400 kg (880 lb). They are fairly common in shallow waters and feed on a variety of marine life, including small sharks and juvenile sea turtles.
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Orbicular batfish
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Selected quote

"It was always the biggest fish I caught that got away."

---Eugene Field, from Our Biggest Fish

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List articles

For more lists, see Category:Lists of fishes

Topics

Ichthyology :	Fish anatomy, Fish development, Fish diseases, Fish locomotion, Fish migration, Ichthyology terms, Limnology, Marine biology, Meristics, Oceanography, Spawning
Taxa :	Chondrichthyes, Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii, Sarcopterygii, Chondrostei, Neopterygii, Holostei, Teleostei, Osteoglossomorpha, Elopomorpha, Clupeomorpha, Ostariophysi, Cyclosquamata, Scopelomorpha, Lampridiomorpha, Polymyxiomorpha, Paracanthopterygii, Acanthopterygii
Fishery :	Angling, Aquaculture, Fishing, Fish as food, Fish farming, Fish market, Fisheries management, Fishing industry, Overfishing
Food fish :	Anchovy, Barb, Basa fish, Bass, Carp, Catfish, Cod, Eel, Flatfish, Goby, Gourami, Haddock, Herring, Mackerel, Oily fish, Perch, Pollock, Salmon, Snapper, Snakehead, Sturgeon, Tilapia, Trout, Tuna, Whitefish
Fishkeeping :	Aeration, Aquarium, Fish food, Marine aquarium, Reef aquarium, Brackish water aquarium
Ornamental fish :	Angelfish(freshwater), Angelfish(marine), Barb, Blenny, Boxfish, Butterflyfish, Cichlid, Chromis, Clownfish, Corydoras, Damsel, Danio, Discus, Goby, Goldfish, Gourami, Koi, Lionfish^{[disambiguation needed]}, Live-bearer, Loach, Mbuna, Rainbowfish, Pufferfish, Rasbora, Seahorse, Siamese fighting fish, Suckermouth catfish, Tang, Tetra, Triggerfish, Wrasse
Others :	Amphibious fish, Electric fish, Deep sea fish, Ichthys, Mermaid, Prehistoric fish, Ray, Shark, Walking fish

Things you can do

Here are some tasks you can do, as organized by the WikiProject Fishes, if you are interested, please sign up on the project page.

Copyedit:

Expand: Barb (fish species), fishing industry, Greater Argentine, Gold Spot Pleco, Fish anatomy, Black goby, Poecilia caucana, Arrowtooth flounder, Paiute cutthroat trout, Serrasalmus, Pygocentrus, Greater pipefish, Lesser pipefish

Develop featured article: Ocean sunfish is in danger of losing its featured article status - improvement urgently needed.

Peer review: Spring cavefish, Convict cichlid, Hoplosternum littorale, Shortnose sturgeon

Article requests: Missing topics about Fish, Devonian Fish Project article requests, Jörg Freyhof

Picture request: Phreatobius cisternarum, Scoloplax, Nematogenys inermis, Chiapas catfish (Upload any non-copyrighted fish images to the appropriate section of Wikimedia Commons)

Identify images: Identify and move fish-related images to the appropriate sections of Wikimedia Commons, especially images of unidentified fish

Assessment: Assess the quality and importance of fish articles

Other: Expand Fish anatomy and Fish locomotion, Create articles for the two missing families in the Perciformes (Bembropidae and Zanclorhynchidae). Merge GLAM/ARKive donated texts into articles about endangered species.

If you have any question, comment or suggestion, please discussion here.

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Related portals

The Fish Portal: Mini Edition

The Mini Edition of the Fish Portal is available for you to use on your wikipedia user page or talk page. It uses minimum space but retains many crucial features of the portal. To use it, place {{Portal:Fish/Mini portal}} on the designated page. See here for an example of the mini portal on a user page.

WikiProjects

WikiProject Fishes

WikiProject Aquarium Fishes

WikiProject Sharks

WikiProject Fishing

The Fish Quiz

The Fish Quiz is a friendly quiz competition designed to test your general knowledge of fish. The current game is Fish Quiz Tournament X. You can read more and join the game here.