Giant African threadfin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Giant African threadfin |
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The giant African threadfin (Polydactylus quadrifilis) is a very large fish. It belongs to the threadfin family. You can find this fish in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It lives near the west coast of Africa.
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What Does the Giant African Threadfin Look Like?
The giant African threadfin is a really big fish! It can grow up to 200 centimetres (79 in) long. That's about 6.5 feet, taller than most people! But usually, they are around 150 centimetres (59 in) long.
Body Shape and Fins
This fish has a pointy nose. The top of its head is quite straight. It has two dorsal fins on its back. The first dorsal fin has eight stiff spines. One of these spines is thicker than the others. The second dorsal fin has one spine and thirteen soft rays.
Its anal fin is on its belly, near the tail. It has three spines and eleven soft rays. This fin is about the same length as the second dorsal fin. The pectoral fins are on its sides, like arms. They have twelve or thirteen rays. These fins are about a quarter of the fish's body length.
Special Filaments
A cool thing about this fish is its four long "filaments" or threads. These hang down from its pectoral fins. The first three filaments are shorter. They reach past the start of the pelvic fin. The fourth filament is the longest. It can reach all the way to the tip of the pelvic fin.
The caudal fin, or tail fin, is deeply forked. It looks like a "V" shape. The tail lobes are long and smooth. The fish also has a lateral line. This is a special line of scales along its side. It helps the fish sense movement in the water. This line goes from its gills to its tail.
Colors
The giant African threadfin is mostly silver. Its head and upper body have a dark, blackish tint. Its lower body is paler. Its belly and chest are white. The tip of its nose is almost see-through.
The dorsal fins and tail fin are pale. They have blackish edges at the back. The pectoral fins are bright yellow. The long threads (filaments) are white. The pelvic and anal fins are dark. They have white edges at the front and near their bases.
Where Does the Giant African Threadfin Live?
This fish lives in the warm, tropical waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean. You can find it along the west coast of Africa. Its range goes from Senegal down to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There has also been one sighting near Mauritania.
Habitat and What It Eats
The giant African threadfin likes shallow coastal waters. It prefers places with sandy or muddy bottoms. Sometimes, it can be found in brackish water. This is water that is a mix of fresh and salt water. It can even swim into estuaries. Very rarely, it might go into fresh water. However, the biggest fish are only found in the ocean.
This fish is a carnivore. This means it eats other animals. It mainly eats small crustaceans, like crabs or shrimp. It also eats other smaller fish.
Why Is This Fish Important to People?
The giant African threadfin is a very popular fish for fishing. Both commercial fishermen and sport fishermen want to catch it. This makes it an important species for local fisheries.
Who Discovered This Fish?
The giant African threadfin was first officially described in 1829. It was described by a scientist named Georges Cuvier. He worked with another scientist, Achille Valenciennes. They named it Polynemus quadrifilis. They found the first example of this fish in Senegal.
