Pinguipedidae
barfaced sandsmelt
Parapercis nebulosa
FISH SPECIES
Long-bodied Fish
Explore fish with elongated, anguilliform or ribbon-like silhouettes, and learn how length changes locomotion and foraging.
FISH ATLAS / FIELD GUIDELong Bodied FishIN THIS CHAPTER01 / Characteristics02 / Lifestyle03 / Species04 / Field notes
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01 / NATURAL HISTORY
Characteristics
Elongated body plans reduce hydrodynamic drag, allow passage through tight apertures, and feature reduced or absent pelvic fins combined with extensive multi-vertebral muscular flexing systems.
- 01Anguilliform wave propulsion
- 02Crevice & conduit navigation
- 03Reduced appendages & low drag
02 / LIFESTYLE
Lifestyle
True eels swim via full-body anguilliform waves, sending lateral bends down their entire length to push against water, allowing them to reverse direction inside narrow subterranean burrows. Needlefish and pikes maintain a rigid elongated torso, keeping the body straight until their posterior fins and muscular caudal peduncle unleash sudden, explosive forward lunges.
OBSERVATION INDEX
- Full-body anguilliform undulation
- Reverse movement inside burrows
- Rigid body ambush alignment
03 / SPECIES
Representative species
Discover representative species illustrating the ecological diversity, morphologies and adaptations of this group.
barfaced sandsmelt
Labrisomidae
barfin blenny
Malacoctenus versicolor
Syngnathidae
barhead pipefish
Microphis leiaspis
Muraenidae
barlip reef-eel
Uropterygius kamar
Congridae
Barnes' garden eel
Gorgasia barnesi
Atherinidae
Barnes' silverside
Hypoatherina barnesi
Sphyraenidae
barracuda
Sphyraena viridensis
Paralepididae
Barracudina
Macroparalepis affinis
Sudidae
Barracudina
Sudis hyalina
Polypteridae
Barred bichir
Polypterus delhezi
Blenniidae
barred blenny
Cirripectes polyzona
Gobiesocidae
barred clingfish
Tomicodon fasciatus
Congridae
barred conger
Ariosoma fasciatum
Ophidiidae
barred cusk-eel
Lepophidium staurophor
Gobiidae
barred eviota
Eviota fasciola
Galaxiidae
Barred Galaxias
Galaxias fuscus
Opistognathidae
Barred Jawfish
Opistognathus fossoris
Cyprinidae
Barred minnow
Opsaridium zambezense
Muraenidae
barred moray
Echidna polyzona
Syngnathidae
barred pipefish
Syngnathus auliscus
Creediidae
Barred sand burrower
Limnichthys fasciatus
Syngnathidae
Barred shortbody pipefish
Choeroichthys cinctus
Ophichthidae
Barred Snake Eel
Quassiremus polyclitellum
Plesiopidae
Barred spiny basslet
Belonepterygion fasciolatum
04 / FIELD NOTES
A closer look
Why do eels and morays lack pelvic fins?
Pelvic fins create hydrodynamic drag and easily catch on obstructions when navigating tight crevices, burrows and rock cracks. Over evolutionary time, appendages were reduced or lost in favor of continuous median fins.
How do elongated fish like gar and needlefish hunt?
Rather than undulate their whole bodies, they hold their long torsos completely straight to resemble floating sticks or debris, then unleash rapid lateral head snaps or tail bursts to impale unsuspecting prey on their toothed jaws.