Atlantic threadfin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Atlantic threadfin |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The Atlantic threadfin (Polydactylus octonemus) is a cool type of ray-finned fish. It's part of the threadfin family, called Polynemidae. This fish lives in the warm and mild waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. It's special because of the long, thread-like fins it has!
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Atlantic threadfin is a medium-sized fish. It can grow up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long, which is about the length of a school ruler. Most of them are around 25 centimetres (9.8 in).
Its Fins and Body
- It has a pointy snout and a fairly flat head.
- It has two separate dorsal fins on its back. The first one has eight stiff spines.
- The second dorsal fin has one spine and 11 to 13 soft rays.
- The anal fin on its belly has three spines and 12 to 14 soft rays.
- Its pectoral fins, which are like its "arms," have 14 to 16 rays.
- The most interesting part is its eight (sometimes nine) thread-like filaments. These threads are attached near its pectoral fins. They are like feelers that help the fish find food in the water. The longest thread can be almost half the fish's body length!
- The tail fin is deeply forked, like a "V" shape.
- Its body has 56 to 64 scales along its side, forming a special line called the lateral line. This line helps the fish sense movements in the water.
Colors
- The top of its head and sides are a slightly dark, silvery color.
- Its belly is lighter.
- The snout is a bit see-through.
- The dorsal fins are a dusky yellow.
- The pectoral fins are black, but the long threads are see-through.
- The anal fin is dusky yellow with a white edge.
- The tail fin is dusky yellowish with a black edge.
Where Does It Live?
The Atlantic threadfin lives in the western Atlantic Ocean. You can find it from New Smyrna Beach in Florida all the way down to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It's not found in the northern part of the Yucatan or near Cuba. Sometimes, a few fish might swim farther north, even reaching Long Island in the United States!
Its Home and Life
This fish likes to live on sandy or muddy bottoms. You can often see it near beaches, especially where the waves break.
Depth and Numbers
- In the Gulf of Mexico, it lives at depths between 5 and 66 metres (16 and 217 ft).
- But you'll find the most Atlantic threadfins in shallower waters, usually between 5 to 16 metres (16 to 52 ft) deep.
- Baby threadfins, less than 66 millimetres (2.6 in) long, have been found near the surface of the Gulf of Mexico.
Growing Up and Having Babies
- Atlantic threadfins become old enough to have their own babies when they are about 7 to 9 months old. At this age, they are usually between 165 and 210 millimetres (6.5 and 8.3 in) long.
- They probably lay their eggs (this is called spawning) in the Gulf of Mexico, near Louisiana and Texas.
- Spawning mostly happens from mid-December to mid-March and can last for 45 to 120 days.
- Young fish, about 2 to 4 months old, live in waters shallower than 16 metres (52 ft). As summer begins, they move to deeper waters.
- Most Atlantic threadfins live for about one year. Some might live a bit longer if they survive their first spawning season.
Who Discovered This Fish?
The Atlantic threadfin was first officially described in 1858. A scientist named Charles Frédéric Girard gave it the name Polynemus octonemus. He found these fish near Brazos Santiago and Galveston, Texas.
