Page 109 - Caribbean Reef Life Demo
P. 109
Some of the most dif cult animals to spot on a dive, frog sh may camou age themselves to look like sponges. Often just the eye and a wide upturned mouth are recognizable. nlike most other shes they have no swim bladder, allowing them to remain more motionless on the reef. They are not good swimmers. Instead, their strong pectoral ns are like modi ed feet for clinging onto the reef and for taking short hops. Their backward-facing gill openings can be used to jet them forward for an extra burst of speed. nless disturbed, they tend to remain in the same spot. It can take weeks for them to change color and blend in to a new location. Frog sh have a tiny lure that can be dangled in front of them to entice prey. If this lure gets broken it can regrow over time.
Frog sh boast the fastest gulp in the animal kingdom, less than six milliseconds. Their mouths open wider than their heads, creating a powerful suction that pulls in prey, which is not bitten or chewed but swallowed whole. They often ex their jaws to be ready for a strike.
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