While most fish cannot regulate their body temperature (known as being ectothermic), basking sharks were recently discovered to be able to (known as being endothermic) which was previously thought to be exclusive to apex predators such as the basking shark's relatives: the mako and great white shark.
62 notes
·
View notes
While researching for upcoming fish facts I ended up going down a rabbit hole on parrotfish teeth, and I need to share this information in another form than just a fish fact. This stuff is unbelievable. You know the beak of the parrotfish, right? It's formed from the fused teeth of the parrotfish, as an adaptation to have ample biting surface to scrape off and chew on coral, their main food source.
A close-up of the beak of a parrotfish. It has this honeycomb pattern which I find very cool.
Well. To constantly chew on coral, they must have some pretty hard teeth, right? And they indeed do: the teeth of the parrotfish are made up of a mineral called fluorapatite, which forms intricate, chainmail-like woven structures on a microscopic level. Fluorapatite just so happens to be the second hardest biomineral found. This stuff, the parrotfish's teeth? A square inch of the parrotfish's teeth can withstand a whopping 530 TONS OF PRESSURE!!! That's the weight of 88 ELEPHANTS on top of a single square inch!!!! That's crazy, right!!?? The only biomineral that is tougher is the teeth of chitons, that is the single tougher biological thing in the whole world!!! Not only that, but the stiffness and hardness of the teeth increases the more we get closer to the tip (as the mineral fibers get closer and closer to one another), the very tips of the teeth even surpass the chiton teeth in stiffness!!!
Here are pictures produced through a process called PIC mapping, which shows the size and orientation of crystal fibers at the tip of the teeth.
That feels like it shouldn't be right, no? You'd think that the toughest biominerals in the world would belong to, like, the skull of an animal that rams into rocks or maybe the shell of some animal, not the teeth! The teeth of chitons and parrotfish out of all animals no less! Who would've guessed that the diet of "rock animal" would make the parrotfish require some of the toughest dentition the world has ever seen, huh? That right there is one super good reason why you should never stick your finger in the mouth of one.
Every day I am blown away by how amazing fishes are....
8K notes
·
View notes
Cryptid fish that has only been seen once and never again that may or may not exist but well never know my beloved
13K notes
·
View notes
Critter fact #87:
Moray eels have two sets of jaws! When the jaws open wide and there's more jaws inside, that's a moray!
802 notes
·
View notes
🐠 Daily Fish Fact: 🐠
Stonefish are the most venomous fish known; stings can be fatal to humans. Most stonefish stings occur as a result of stepping on the creature which forces venom into the foot, while it is less common for the fish to sting when it is picked up. Stonefish stings can occur on the beach, not just in the water, since stonefish can survive out of the water for up to 24 hours. They are not easily seen as they look similar to rocks or coral.
220 notes
·
View notes
Hello!
Welcome to sturgeonposting. I’m sturgeonposting. My pronouns are they/them. I’m 21. I have autism.
This is my blog where I post about sturgeon fish, which are my special interest.
For sturgeon facts, go to #sturgeon facts
For information on a specific sturgeon, search the scientific name as I tag all my posts with scientific names. Some species have multiple common names.
For sturgeon-only content, block/ filter #not sturgeon???
I tag #tw food if I’m talking about fish as food or food in general cause I got an eating disorder
Feel free to request a specific sturgeon species in my asks, or to ask any questions you may have about sturgeon fish. You can also just shoot me an ask about anything and I’ll most likely answer it. I especially love receiving pictures of sturgeon, if you’ve taken any.
I struggle with a few chronic illnesses and general states of unwellness, which sometimes causes me to disappear from tumblr for various unpredictable amounts of time, but I promise I will always return eventually to gab about sturgeon fish.
Thanks for visiting sturgeonposting and happy sturgeonposting. This has been sturgeonposting.
P.S. I also have a side blog called @shuttletatted so if you’re here from the world of fiber arts wondering why you got a like from a fish blog, welcome and I hope you’re less confused.
P.P.S. I have a second side blog called @marrowsucker which is where I put personal stuff if you’re interested in knowing the sturgeon behind the posting
630 notes
·
View notes
This is the reason Ishmael saw so many depictions of dolphins with scales and a helmet-heads: mahi-mahi, aka the dolphinfish.
Mahi-mahi are in fact fish but were considered members of the dolphin family at various times in history.
They were often used as an art motif and in decorative sculptures and crafted items.
This soup tureen from the Clark Museum— my all time favorite museum piece— belonged to Marie Antoinette’s sister. It always baffled me that the feet (which it’s plaque identified as dolphins) looked like that.
Then a few months ago, while I was prepping for a fishing trip in the bahamas, my dad mentioned that mahi-mahi are sometimes called dolphinfish.
I looked up a picture and my mind was blown.
That was it. That was the stupid fish on the soup tureen (or at least closer to it than an actual dolphin). Mystery solved and mind blown.
622 notes
·
View notes
Important Stuff
1K notes
·
View notes
Fun fact: Blue Tangs (The Dory fish) have a venomous spine near their tail fin. It’s their primary form of self defense. Dory was running around with the fish equivalent of a shiv the entire movie and just forgot. It’s very on brand for her but I will never get over it. And maybe some of you are thinking “It’s a kid’s movie. Maybe they didn’t include that feature.”. Nah! It’s there! They took the time to draw it. Baby girl is clueless and armed.
257 notes
·
View notes
hey, dont cry? the hadle snail fish can covert wood into glucose
868 notes
·
View notes
Exciting news for the cute shark lovers of the world! We finally have a recorded sighting of a baby great white shark, likely only a few hours old.
The question of where great white sharks give birth still remains a mystery to this day but this footage may suggest the coasts of California, where the footage was taken, are a site where these sharks give birth.
8K notes
·
View notes
Daily fish fact #743
Wahoo!
This speedy pelagic fish seems to be attracted to flotsam and tall objects! They're broadcast spawners, releasing their eggs into open water without any parental care.
608 notes
·
View notes
Cetomimidae or Flabby Whalefish
When transitioning from their juvenile form to their adult form, male Whalefish lose their mouths, esophagus, and stomachs! Their jaws fuse closed and they rely on the food they ate as juveniles in adulthood. It's believed this evolved due to little food resource in their habitat- the deep sea.
646 notes
·
View notes
Critter fact #3:
The Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii utah, is the state fish of Utah. It is identified by the red mark under its lower jaw, and the presence of many large, black spots.
165 notes
·
View notes