Skip to Content Skip to Navigation

Ocean Portal by The Smithsonian Institution

Fish

FEATURES


PHOTO Fish Using Counterillumination The fish at left stands out against the lighter waters above. At right the same fish—now with bioluminescent structures on its underside lit—blends in. Many deep sea creatures have evolved t...MORE PHOTOS


	PHOTO MORE PHOTOS Anemonefish in their Host Anemone Two bright orange anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) poke their heads between an...
	BLOG POST MORE STORIES Uncovering Biodiversity Before It Disappears Editor's Note: See more information and details about the organisms displayed in...
	PHOTO MORE PHOTOS Cardinalfish Dad with a Mouthful of Eggs Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus sp.) dads do their part to protect their eggs by gi...

EDUCATOR RESOURCES

LATEST TODAY'S CATCH


					Scaly Dragonfish May 8, 2013 - 9:26AMThe long barbel on the chin of this dragonfish (Stomias boa) has a glowing tip that may attract prey. With its large mouth and sharp, curved teeth, the fish makes quick work of any prey that venture too close. Scaly dragonfish...

Seven New Fish Discovered

Apr 25, 2013 - 8:06AM

Starksia blennies, small fish with elongated bodies, generally native to...

A School of Hawaiian Squirrelfish

Apr 10, 2013 - 9:03AM

Check out the eyes on these Hawaiian squirrelfish (Sargocentron...

SPOTLIGHT


The Big Five of the Ocean: Exploring the Waters of East Africa A whale shark swims with a diver off the coast of Southern Mozambique. Photo: Caine Delacy. When we think "Africa," we think...

Chimaera from the Deep Oct 1 2012 - 8:44am This rarely-seen smalleyed rabbitfish (Hydrolagus affinis), belonging to the order of Chimaera, was caught during a research trip to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in 2004 sponsored by the Census of Marine Life. In Greek mythology, chimeras were beasts that were part lion, part snake and part goat,...	Happy Holidays from the Ocean! Dec 13 2012 - 11:02am Ocean creatures may not sing carols and go ice skating, but some celebrate the winter holidays all year round! So turn on the “Jingle Shell Rock” and celebrate with these intriguing ocean animals.
Pinecone Fish Dec 28 2012 - 9:34am The pinecone fish (Monocentris japonicus) looks like the real thing on land—covered in large scales with a dark trim. They are found lurking in caves and under ledges in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans, and are a popular aquarium fish.	The Sant Ocean Hall: Salmon Shape a Way of Life Sep 20 2011 - 5:08pm Boats Connect Us to the Ocean More than any other objects, boats symbolize human connection to the ocean. As you look through the center of the Ocean Hall, past the model right whale, you can see a magnificent carved canoe.
Dragonfish from Australia Aug 6 2012 - 10:05am Deep-sea species like this dragonfish (Bathophilus indicus) live in cold, dark waters and may go weeks or months between meals. When food is found, the fish uses its impressive teeth—including some on its tongue—to get a tight grip on its prey.	A Fish that Looks Like a Whale Oct 23 2010 - 5:27pm This deep sea creature, the whalefish (Cetomimidae), has a whale-like body, a gaping mouth, no fins or scales and a deep lateral line, which detects vibrations in the water. The first specimens were discovered by two Smithsonian scientists in fish collections at the National Museum of Natural...
Cave Basslet Jul 5 2011 - 10:08am Smithsonian researchers collected a cave basslet (Liopropoma mowbrayi) from the deep reefs of Curaçao, in the southern Caribbean. They used a state-of-the-art submersible to obtain the specimen. The investigations are part of the Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP).	Fish Using Counterillumination Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am The fish at left stands out against the lighter waters above. At right the same fish—now with bioluminescent structures on its underside lit—blends in. Many deep sea creatures have evolved this adaptation (known as counterillumination), which enables them to hide in an environment with few hiding...
Tapetail swimming in the Ocean Oct 23 2010 - 6:44pm A Tapetail is caught on film while swimming over a coral reef off the coast of Japan. Learn more about this unusual organism -- and how it was used to solve a taxonomic mystery.	Tunas and Marlins Officially Classified as Threatened Jul 7 2011 - 4:20pm Extinction is a real possibility for three species of tunas. That’s one of the messages from a new study released today online in the journal Science.
Three Mystery Fish Oct 23 2010 - 5:13pm These three fish—a whalefish, bignose, and tapetail (l to r)—became the prime suspects in an international scientific mystery. Each species seemed to be missing either a member of the opposite sex or a stage of development. Find out how museum collections helped solve this mystery.	The Big Five of the Ocean: Exploring the Waters of East Africa Nov 21 2012 - 11:25am A whale shark swims with a diver off the coast of Southern Mozambique. Photo: Caine Delacy. When we think "Africa," we think of the "Big Five"—lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo and rhinos—that crisscross the African Savannah. Few would imagine that there could be more natural beauty on offer. But...
Sea Creatures from the Deep: A Video by National Geographic and the Census of Marine Life Dec 8 2009 - 11:05pm The Census of Marine Life - a ten-year effort by scientists from around the world to answer the age-old question, “What lives in the sea?” It was an international effort to asses the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine life in our ocean, and the project offically...	Uncovering Biodiversity… with ARMS and a Submarine Claw Aug 16 2012 - 12:21pm If there had been room to stand up, there would have been a standing ovation. As it was, the five of us on the submersible Curasub clapped and cheered when the first three deep-reef ARMS (Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures) were successfully deployed at approximately 396 feet (120 meters).
Bizarre and Beautiful Coral Reef Animals Dec 4 2009 - 3:05pm Coral reefs support an amazing array of life forms many of them beautiful, some of them downright bizarre. Dive in and take a look through this photo gallery.	Collecting Shallow-Water Specimens with the "Yabbie Pump" Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am The long silver tool shown here is a piece of traditional Australian fishing gear called a “yabbie pump.” Researchers use the device to collect burrowing shrimp and other fast-moving animals from the shallow waters near the island of Moorea. Learn more in our Scientists Catalog Life on the...