Bidenichthys beeblebroxi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bidenichthys beeblebroxi |
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The Bidenichthys beeblebroxi is a fascinating type of fish that lives in the ocean. It belongs to a group of fish called the Bythitidae family. Think of a family like a big group of relatives; in biology, a "family" means a group of similar living things. This fish is one of three kinds in its specific group, or genus, called Bidenichthys.
You can find this fish swimming in the coastal waters around the North Island and the northern part of the South Island in New Zealand. It's quite a common sight there!
About the Beeblebrox Brotula
This fish is usually a plain gray-brown color. It's not very big, typically measuring about 6.5 to 9.5 centimeters (about 2.5 to 3.7 inches) long. That's roughly the length of a small candy bar!
Where it Lives
The Beeblebrox brotula loves to hide. It often lives in small holes under rocks and large stones. You can find it in places like kelp forests and other rocky reef areas. It lives anywhere from the water's surface down to depths of about 30 meters (about 100 feet). That's as deep as a ten-story building is tall!
How it Got its Name
The Bidenichthys beeblebroxi got its unique name from a very famous book! It was named after a character called Zaphod Beeblebrox. Zaphod is a fun, two-headed alien from the science fiction book series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. A scientist named Paulin described this fish in 1995 and chose this memorable name.
Before this fish got its official name, people sometimes called similar fish "gray brotula" or "orange cuskeel." But in 1995, when Paulin studied these fish more closely, he realized that the Bidenichthys beeblebroxi was a new species that needed its own special name.
