Emory Meyer

English, Science

October 20, 2015

Lookdown Fish

Selene Vomer

           

Selene vomer, more commonly known as the Lookdown fish, are found in sandy areas near bridges and pilings. They live in small schools near the ocean floor. They are heterotrophic organisms, which means they get energy by eating autotrophs or other heterotrophs. They are also ectothermic meaning they are cold-blooded and they have bilateral symmetry. The Lookdown fish is flat and it is silver. It has long thin stripes on its tail and anail fin. The Lookdown fish gets its name because of how it appears to “look down” as it swims. Its prey is small worms, fish, and crustaceans. Its predators are larger fish, some fishermen, and some aquarium collectors. Its Domain is eukaryotes and its Kingdom is animalia.  Its Phylum is chordata, its Class is osteichthyes, and its Order is perciformes. Its Family is carangidae, its Genus is Selene, and its Species is vomer. Two functional adaptation that they have are: they can open their mouths very wide so they can feed on prey and they have small eyes that lack any form of adipose eyelid. A structural adaptation that they have is: their metallic color confuses predators when they swim in schools or groups.