By Liz Langley, National Geographic



PUBLISHED December 05, 2015

"Fish out of water" usually means someone who’s totally out of place.


Some fish didn’t get the memo.


For Saturday’s Weird Animal Question of the Week, Ving Salcedo asked
what type of fish can live without water for a small period of time.
It turns out quite a few have a fin in both worlds.


Out of the Pool to Get Cool


Several fish are amphibious, meaning they can typically survive out of
water, Andy Turko, of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada,
says via email.


Turko co-authored a recent study on the mangrove rivulus, a fish that
leaps on land when its tropical waters get too warm. (Related: "To
Cool Off, This Fish Leaves the Water.")


Fish use gills to take in oxygen from the water. But many fish, like
the mangrove rivulus, have adaptations that let them breathe air.


For instance, mangrove rivulus “have specialized skin that takes on
many of the roles of gills,” such as maintaining salt levels, Turko
says.








Mudskippers This fish-out-of-water has adapted to living mostly on
land. But it still needs to learn how to outrun its enemies.



The super skin also has blood vessels that sit within a micron of the
skin's surface, allowing more oxygen to absorb into the blood. (See
pictures: "Nine Fish With 'Hands' Found to Be New Species.")


The walking catfish, a Southeast Asian native that's invaded South
Florida, has an extra organ that supports its gills and helps it take
in oxygen from the air.


These Fins are Made for Walking


Oh, and yes, we said walking. (See "Pictures: 'Walking' Fish a Model
of Evolution in Action.")


“After a big rainstorm, it’s not terribly unusual to actually see this
catfish wiggle across the road," says George Burgess, an ichthyologist
at the Florida Museum of Natural History.










Four-eyed fish gather at the water's surface in Brazil. The species
climbs on mudflats to search for insects.

Photograph by Juniors Bildarchiv GmbH, Alamy


The fish flexes its body back and forth to move, and its spiny
pectoral fin provides additional leverage.







Eels climb over dams and other obstacles while traveling upstream,
breathing oxygen through their skin.


Killifish “flip-flop their way from place to place” on land, and
though these movements look random, “they know what they’re doing,”
Burgess says. (See "Walking Began Underwater, Strolling-Fish Discovery Suggests.")


A type of killifish called a mummichog navigates visually, jumping up
and orienting its body toward the water, according to a recent study.


But West African lungfish blow these other fish out of the water: They
have gills and a primitive lung. During dry periods, the animals wrap themselves in a mucus cocoon, burrow into the mud, and lie
dormant—sometimes for years.


When rains return and the fish pops back out of the earth, it looks a
lot like a "mud pistachio," Burgess says.


Why Do Fish Cross the Road?


Fish leave the water for several reasons, such as escaping predators
or low-oxygen environments. Both the snakehead and walking catfish
move to “greener pastures” in search of mates, food, or if their
current water source is drying up Burgess says. ("Watch: Cave-Climbing
Fish Found—Is It Evolution in Action?")








Fish "Walks" on Beach to Spawn March 18, 2011—Every spring on
California's beaches, thousands of tiny fish come ashore to spawn. As
beach habitats decline, volunteer "grunion greeters" are teaming up to
study and protect the tiny fish.



A species called the four-eyed fish climbs onto Brazilian mudflats to
feed on insects, Turko notes, and grunion famously come ashore to
spawn on California beaches.


So next time you feel like a fish out of water, don’t panic. You might
be better off than you think.


Weird Animal Question of the Week answers your questions every
Saturday. If you have a question about the weird and wild animal
world, tweet me, leave me a note or photo in the comments below, or
find me on Facebook.


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151205-animals-science-fish-walking-water-oceans/

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There was a time way back when the oceans were really hot. Perhaps we
can thank that for triggering the evolution of life on land.

I’m reminded of the story about Aristotle.:

Noting that if you took a fish out of the ocean and laid it on the beach
it would die, philosophers debated the reason: Was it because the fish had
been moved to a part of the world where it did not belong (perhaps as
dictated by the gods) or because it was not surrounded by water.
After hours of debate, Aristotle said “Let’s put a fish in a bucket of
water and bring it up on the beach and see what happens.”

Thus was born experimental science.

"Fish out of water" usually means someone whos totally out of place.

From: Garrison Hilliard

By Liz Langley, National Geographic

PUBLISHED December 05, 2015

"Fish out of water" usually means someone whos totally out of place.

Some fish didnt get the memo.

For Saturdays Weird Animal Question of the Week, Ving Salcedo asked
what type of fish can live without water for a small period of time.
It turns out quite a few have a fin in both worlds.

Out of the Pool to Get Cool

Several fish are amphibious, meaning they can typically survive out of
water, Andy Turko, of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada,
says via email.

Turko co-authored a recent study on the mangrove rivulus, a fish that
leaps on land when its tropical waters get too warm. (Related: "To
Cool Off, This Fish Leaves the Water.")

Fish use gills to take in oxygen from the water. But many fish, like
the mangrove rivulus, have adaptations that let them breathe air.

For instance, mangrove rivulus have specialized skin that takes on
many of the roles of gills, such as maintaining salt levels, Turko
says.

Mudskippers This fish-out-of-water has adapted to living mostly on
land. But it still needs to learn how to outrun its enemies.

The super skin also has blood vessels that sit within a micron of the
skin's surface, allowing more oxygen to absorb into the blood. (See
pictures: "Nine Fish With 'Hands' Found to Be New Species.")

The walking catfish, a Southeast Asian native that's invaded South
Florida, has an extra organ that supports its gills and helps it take
in oxygen from the air.

These Fins are Made for Walking

Oh, and yes, we said walking. (See "Pictures: 'Walking' Fish a Model
of Evolution in Action.")

After a big rainstorm, its not terribly unusual to actually see this
catfish wiggle across the road," says George Burgess, an ichthyologist
at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

Four-eyed fish gather at the water's surface in Brazil. The species
climbs on mudflats to search for insects.

Photograph by Juniors Bildarchiv GmbH, Alamy

The fish flexes its body back and forth to move, and its spiny
pectoral fin provides additional leverage.

Eels climb over dams and other obstacles while traveling upstream,
breathing oxygen through their skin.

Killifish flip-flop their way from place to place on land, and
though these movements look random, they know what theyre doing,
Burgess says. (See "Walking Began Underwater, Strolling-Fish Discovery >Suggests.")

A type of killifish called a mummichog navigates visually, jumping up
and orienting its body toward the water, according to a recent study.

But West African lungfish blow these other fish out of the water: They
have gills and a primitive lung. During dry periods, the animals wrap >themselves in a mucus cocoon, burrow into the mud, and lie
dormantsometimes for years.

When rains return and the fish pops back out of the earth, it looks a
lot like a "mud pistachio," Burgess says.

Why Do Fish Cross the Road?

Fish leave the water for several reasons, such as escaping predators
or low-oxygen environments. Both the snakehead and walking catfish
move to greener pastures in search of mates, food, or if their
current water source is drying up Burgess says. ("Watch: Cave-Climbing
Fish FoundIs It Evolution in Action?")

Fish "Walks" on Beach to Spawn March 18, 2011Every spring on
California's beaches, thousands of tiny fish come ashore to spawn. As
beach habitats decline, volunteer "grunion greeters" are teaming up to
study and protect the tiny fish.

A species called the four-eyed fish climbs onto Brazilian mudflats to
feed on insects, Turko notes, and grunion famously come ashore to
spawn on California beaches.

So next time you feel like a fish out of water, dont panic. You might
be better off than you think.

Weird Animal Question of the Week answers your questions every
Saturday. If you have a question about the weird and wild animal
world, tweet me, leave me a note or photo in the comments below, or
find me on Facebook.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151205-animals-science-fish-walking-water-oceans/

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XPost: bit.listserv.skeptic

By Liz Langley, National Geographic



PUBLISHED December 05, 2015

"Fish out of water" usually means someone who’s totally out of place.


Some fish didn’t get the memo.


For Saturday’s Weird Animal Question of the Week, Ving Salcedo asked
what type of fish can live without water for a small period of time.
It turns out quite a few have a fin in both worlds.


Out of the Pool to Get Cool


Several fish are amphibious, meaning they can typically survive out of
water, Andy Turko, of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada,
says via email.


Turko co-authored a recent study on the mangrove rivulus, a fish that
leaps on land when its tropical waters get too warm. (Related: "To
Cool Off, This Fish Leaves the Water.")


Fish use gills to take in oxygen from the water. But many fish, like
the mangrove rivulus, have adaptations that let them breathe air.


For instance, mangrove rivulus “have specialized skin that takes on
many of the roles of gills,” such as maintaining salt levels, Turko
says.








Mudskippers This fish-out-of-water has adapted to living mostly on
land. But it still needs to learn how to outrun its enemies.



The super skin also has blood vessels that sit within a micron of the
skin's surface, allowing more oxygen to absorb into the blood. (See
pictures: "Nine Fish With 'Hands' Found to Be New Species.")


The walking catfish, a Southeast Asian native that's invaded South
Florida, has an extra organ that supports its gills and helps it take
in oxygen from the air.


These Fins are Made for Walking


Oh, and yes, we said walking. (See "Pictures: 'Walking' Fish a Model
of Evolution in Action.")


“After a big rainstorm, it’s not terribly unusual to actually see this
catfish wiggle across the road," says George Burgess, an ichthyologist
at the Florida Museum of Natural History.










Four-eyed fish gather at the water's surface in Brazil. The species
climbs on mudflats to search for insects.

Photograph by Juniors Bildarchiv GmbH, Alamy


The fish flexes its body back and forth to move, and its spiny
pectoral fin provides additional leverage.







Eels climb over dams and other obstacles while traveling upstream,
breathing oxygen through their skin.


Killifish “flip-flop their way from place to place” on land, and
though these movements look random, “they know what they’re doing,”
Burgess says. (See "Walking Began Underwater, Strolling-Fish Discovery Suggests.")


A type of killifish called a mummichog navigates visually, jumping up
and orienting its body toward the water, according to a recent study.


But West African lungfish blow these other fish out of the water: They
have gills and a primitive lung. During dry periods, the animals wrap themselves in a mucus cocoon, burrow into the mud, and lie
dormant—sometimes for years.


When rains return and the fish pops back out of the earth, it looks a
lot like a "mud pistachio," Burgess says.


Why Do Fish Cross the Road?


Fish leave the water for several reasons, such as escaping predators
or low-oxygen environments. Both the snakehead and walking catfish
move to “greener pastures” in search of mates, food, or if their
current water source is drying up Burgess says. ("Watch: Cave-Climbing
Fish Found—Is It Evolution in Action?")








Fish "Walks" on Beach to Spawn March 18, 2011—Every spring on
California's beaches, thousands of tiny fish come ashore to spawn. As
beach habitats decline, volunteer "grunion greeters" are teaming up to
study and protect the tiny fish.



A species called the four-eyed fish climbs onto Brazilian mudflats to
feed on insects, Turko notes, and grunion famously come ashore to
spawn on California beaches.


So next time you feel like a fish out of water, don’t panic. You might
be better off than you think.


Weird Animal Question of the Week answers your questions every
Saturday. If you have a question about the weird and wild animal
world, tweet me, leave me a note or photo in the comments below, or
find me on Facebook.


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151205-animals-science-fish-walking-water-oceans/


--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---

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