Unusual names of animals always cause a lot of rumors. It immediately becomes curious whether there is a flute fish, butterfly fish, lion fish or clown fish. We assure you, all of these fish exist, having fun frolic in the waters of the oceans and seas. The world of fish has many faces. Among them are full of various representatives with unusual names, bright colors and unique shapes.
Flute fish is considered to be a representative of a species belonging to the genus of flute snouts. Unusual fish has characteristic features. Her very narrow body is very elongated. The muzzle of these fish is also elongated. They are somewhat reminiscent of a needle fish.
Distribution area
Flute fish, the photo of which shows the structural features of the body, has chosen the warm Pacific waters. It lives in the western Pacific Ocean, near the northern part of Japan and in the southern region of Australia. She is comfortable in the Atlantic Ocean, in the Caribbean.
She lives in the Indian Ocean. In addition, there is a flute fish in the Red Sea. Fish prefer shallow depths, as a rule, they do not fall below one hundred meters. Mostly coral reefs inhabit and scurry around the rocks.
Flute Fish Description
The length of these fish ranges from fifty to seventy centimeters. Although there are exceptions. One and a half meter giants are among the flute lovers. The body of individuals is covered with small ctenoid scales. At the base of the tiny tail is the anal and small dorsal fins.
Separate spiky rays form the dorsal fin located in front. The size of the ventral and pectoral fins is negligible. There is practically no benefit from them. The jaw of the fish is one fourth of the entire length of their elongated body. In shape, they resemble a pipe flattened from the end, somewhat similar, apparently, to a flute.
Instances of the same species differ in different colors. Usually flute fish is yellow or green. Photo perfectly conveys the color palette of fish. Some representatives of the genus flute-lovers are painted in reddish and brown tones. There are monophonic specimens and decorated with plain patterns. Simple patterns on the bodies of fish are formed by longitudinal and transverse stripes and specks.
Pros and cons of a special structure
The original body structure, coupled with coloring, has its advantages and disadvantages. Due to its characteristic features, the flute fish easily disguises itself against the background of aquatic vegetation. This allows her to arrange successful ambushes in all kinds of clefts.
The long body of the fish is far from flexible. The tiny tail makes her unable to move for a long time. Therefore, flute fish, devoid of maneuverability, forced to lead a sedentary lifestyle. To swim, she needs to make enhanced movements with pectoral fins. Representatives of the flutters are incapable of chasing. However, these predators have a way out.
Hunting methods used by flute fish
In fact, the hunting technique for flute fish is simple and fairly common. She uses imperishable reliable tactics - ambush hunting. Lurking in some crevice, the flute fish hangs in an upright position, becoming one with the surrounding underwater plants. As soon as a prey, not apprehending danger, approaches a predator, an ingenious fish pounces on it and in an instant sucks in its mouth.
However, savvy flute fish have an unusual method of hunting in stock. She uses large fish for her insidious purposes, without asking for their consent. The cunning guy watches over a large peace-loving fish (it can be a sea pike perch or a parrot fish), emerges from a shelter, attaches itself on the back, not knowing anything about the "accomplice", clings to his body with abdominal fins. And sometimes it’s just conveniently attached next to it.
At the very beginning, it seems as if the flute snout eats the remains of the prey of its "bridled friend", but this is far from the case. When a large fish feeds, flocks of small individuals surround it, and it is they who get the flute fish for lunch, or maybe for dinner.
Having had a bite, the fish again climbs onto its “horse”. True, some fish, having bitten the trick of the flute, headlong swim away, not wanting to be used blindly. In addition to small fish, the diet of flutes consists of shrimp and all kinds of crustaceans.