Cepolidae
red band-fish
Cepola macrophthalma
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.
red band-fish
Bythitidae
red brotula
Brosmophycis marginata
Gobiesocidae
red clingfish
Acyrtus rubiginosus
Fistulariidae
red cornetfish
Fistularia petimba
Ophidiidae
Red cusk-eel
Genypterus chilensis
Gobiidae
Red dwarfgoby
Eviota rubra
Myrocongridae
Red eel
Myroconger compressus
Cyprinidae
Red Fin Shark
Epalzeorhynchos munense
Bembridae
Red flathead
Bembras japonica
Cyprinidae
red garra
Garra rufa
Pholidae
red gunnel
Pholis schultzi
Phycidae
red hake
Urophycis chuss
Brachionichthyidae
Red handfish
Sympterichthys politus
Channichthyidae
Red icefish
Channichthys rugosus
Hemilepidotidae
red irish lord
Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus
Synodontidae
Red lizard fish
Synodus ulae
Synodontidae
red lizardfish
Synodus synodus
Cichlidae
Red Mouthbrooder Severum
Heros liberifer
Syngnathidae
red pipefish
Festucalex erythraeus
Syngnathidae
Red pipefish
Notiocampus ruber
Ophichthidae
Red Sea flappy snake eel
Suculentophichthus nasus
Congridae
Red Sea Garden Eel
Gorgasia sillneri
Belonidae
Red Sea houndfish
Tylosurus choram
Blenniidae
Red Sea mimic blenny
Ecsenius gravieri
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.