This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The largehead hairtail, aka beltfish, Atlantic cutlassfish, Pacific cutlassfish, or Japanese cutlassfish, is a predatory elongated fish that can be found off the shores of every continent, sans Antarctica. They face the threats of overfishing; land pollution; water pollution, in the form of mercury poisoning; and microplastics pollution. However, they […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Pantropical spotted dolphin can be found in all the world’s temperate and tropical oceans. These dolphins were starting to decline rapidly before the 1980s due to millions of them being killing in tuna purse seine nets. But thanks to “dolphin safe” practices, millions have been spared. They currently face […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The catshark is the largest family of sharks with around 160 species in 17 genera. Just to confuse you further, catsharks are also known as dogfish. The main difference being that catsharks are oviparous (lay eggs) while dogfish are viviparous (birth live young). Most catsharks are listed as Least Concern […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The butterflyfish is so named for their resemblance to butterflies in their flattened appearance and in how they almost flutter when they swim. There are over 120 identified species of these beautiful fish found in both tropical and subtropical oceans around the world; mostly around reef systems. These fish are […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The bigeye tuna is a true tuna that belongs in the mackerel family. There are 2 species, known as ahi. The other is the yellow fin tuna. They are found in all temperate and tropical oceans, sans the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the threats of overfishing and climate change, these […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

Copepods are a group of small crustaceans found in practically every freshwater and saltwater habitat in the world, including Antarctica. Some species are planktonic, while others are benthic (live on the ocean floor). While still more thrive in damp or wet soil. Due to their abundance, these critters are not […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The lumpfish, aka lump sucker, prefers colder water and can be found in the Arctic, North Atlantic, and North Pacific Oceans. There are 27 known species of lumpfishes. These fish can swim to depths of up to 980+ feet. Lumpfishes are a popular fish, not for their meat, but rather […]

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