Centrophoridae
arrowhead dogfish
Deania profundorum
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
SCROLL
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.
arrowhead dogfish
Liopropomatidae
Arrowhead soapfish
Belonoperca chabanaudi
Melanonidae
arrowtail
Melanonus zugmayeri
Blenniidae
Arrowtooth fangblenny
Plagiotremus iosodon
Macrouridae
Arrowtooth grenadier
Ventrifossa atherodon
Synodontidae
Arrowtooth lizardfish
Synodus doaki
Pseudopimelodidae
Arroyo Bumblebee Catfish
Microglanis carlae
Osteoglossidae
Asian arowana
Scleropages formosus
Akysidae
Asian Banjo Catfish
Acrochordonichthys rugosus
Gobiidae
Asian Brackish Goby
Acanthogobius stigmothonus
Bagridae
Asian bumblebee catfish
Pseudomystus siamensis
Bagridae
Asian Golden Tiger Catfish
Hemibagrus variegatus
Siluridae
Asian Leaf Catfish
Silurichthys indragiriensis
Hemiramphidae
Asian pencil halfbeak
Hyporhamphus intermedius
Bagridae
Asian redtail catfish
Hemibagrus wyckioides
Synbranchidae
Asian swamp eel
Monopterus albus
Sillaginidae
Asian whiting
Sillago asiatica
Adrianichthyidae
Asinua ricefish
Oryzias asinua
Percidae
Asprete
Romanichthys valsanicola
Rhyacichthyidae
Atiti Goby
Protogobius attiti
Belonidae
Atlantic agujon
Tylosurus acus
Paralepididae
Atlantic barracudina
Lestidium atlanticum
Congridae
Atlantic Blackmouth Conger
Acromycter atlanticus
Exocoetidae
Atlantic blackwing flyingfish
Hirundichthys volador
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.