Half-beaked pike
| Half-beaked pike | ||||||||||||
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Half- beaked pike ( Dermogenys pusilla ) |
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| Dermogenys pusilla | ||||||||||||
| Kuhl & van Hasselt , 1823 |
The half- beaked pike or pike-headed half-beak ( Dermogenys pusilla ) is a fish from the family Zenarchopteridae , which was formerly classified as a subfamily of the half- beak, but now has family status itself. The half-beaked pike occurs in fresh and brackish water from Thailand to Singapore . The head of these fish resembles that of a pike . The lower jaw is greatly elongated compared to the upper jaw. The elongated body of the fish also resembles that of the pike. The animals have a light, silvery color that shimmers in different colors depending on the incidence of light, as well as transparent fins. The males have noticeable red spots in the dorsal and anal fin. Half-beaked pike can grow up to seven centimeters. The males remain significantly smaller.
behavior
The half-beaked pike occurs in stagnant and slowly flowing waters of Southeast Asia. It is a typical surface fish , which means that it spends its entire life directly under the water surface. There it feeds mainly on flying insects that fall on the surface of the water. However, it also eats mosquito larvae and small crustaceans . Half-billed pike belong to the viviparous fish; they do not lay eggs, but give birth to fully developed young fish. The males have a so-called andropodium , with which the females are internally fertilized.
literature
- Rüdiger Riehl , Hans A. Baensch : Aquarium Atlas. Mergus, Melle 1982, ISBN 3-88244-010-4 .
Web links
- Half-beaked pike on Fishbase.org (English)