Archer Fish

This picture, taken on February 26, is of an archer fish in my friend's aquarium. The Archer Fish (Toxotes jaculatrix), sometimes called the Banded Archer Fish is a brackish water fish found often in small riviers and streams in Asia. Archer Fish are known for their ability to spit at their prey, with extreme accuracy. For a while, this behavior was a mystery to ichthyologists and other scientists, and only recently have studies found out what actually allows the archer fish to spit with great force and accuracy. Their spit is shot like a water jet, knocking insects and other prey into the water to be consumed. Based on research from a study by a physicist in Italy, it has been found that if this stream of water were to hit a human in the face, it would cause pain similar to that of an insect bite or sting. It was found that the spit stream must be shot with a single burst, done by continuously changing the shape of their mouths. The speed and size of the spit both increase as it reaches its prey, maximizing momentum. The Archer Fish can shoot up to two meters out of the water, giving them a relatively large range to capture prey. Scientists believe that these are among the most intelligent of fish, and their hunting behavior is controlled by neurons which may also play a role in social learning among the species.

 

sources: voices.nationalgeographic.com/2014/09/04/animals-archerfi...

www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160223-how-do-fish-shoot-arrows...

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