Leaf fish
| Leaf fish | ||||||||||||
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Leaf fish ( Monocirrhus polyacanthus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Monocirrhus | ||||||||||||
| Heckel , 1840 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Monocirrhus polyacanthus | ||||||||||||
| Heckel, 1840 | ||||||||||||
The leaf fish ( Monocirrhus polyacanthus ) is a freshwater fish of the family of many spines (Polycentridae). It resembles dead yellow-brown leaves in terms of its color and body shape. At the tip of the lower jaw there is a forward-facing, rigid barb (petiole mimicry ?). Leaf fish can grow up to 10 cm.
behavior
The leaf fish occurs in large parts of the Amazon region in slow-flowing streams and stagnant waters. It feeds almost exclusively on small fish. The animals slowly drift with the current while holding their heads down. If they come across a small fish, they open their mouth, which is huge for their size, in a flash and suck the food animal into their throat. The mouth pipe (maxillary apparatus, see fish mouth ) reaches 60% of the head length.
literature
- Rüdiger Riehl , Hans A. Baensch : Aquarium Atlas . Mergus Verlag, Melle 1982, ISBN 3-88244-010-4 .
Web links
- Leaf fish on Fishbase.org (English)
- Experience report (two-sided)