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| Archerfish
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Banded archerfish | ||||||||||
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Toxotes blythii Toxotes chatareus Toxotes jaculatrix Toxotes lorentzi Toxotes microlepis Toxotes oligolepis |
Archerfish bodies are deep and compressed, with the dorsal fin set far back, and the profile a straight line from dorsal fin to mouth. The mouth is protractile, and the lower jaw juts out. Sizes are generally small, but T. chatareus can reach 40 cm.
Archerfish are remarkably accurate in their shooting, adult fish almost always hitting the target on the first shot. Their large eyes give them excellent eyesight, and they cruise just below the surface looking for victims. When one is spotted, the archerfish sticks its snout just above the surface and squirts water with a contraction of the gill covers. The jet can go up to 150 cm (5 ft). If the first shot does not knock the victim into the water, the archerfish will keep trying. Young archerfish start shooting when about 2.5 cm long, but are inaccurate at first and must learn from experience.
Archerfish are popular for aquaria.
Species:
Both T. chatareus and T. jaculatrix may be called just "archerfish" in some areas.
Several submarines of the United States NavyThe United States Navy USN is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. Navy consists of slightly fewer than 300 ships and over 4,000 operational aircraft. It has over a half million men and women on active or ready re have been named USS ArcherfishTwo submarines of the United States Navy have been named USS Archerfish after the archerfish. The first Archerfish (SS-311) was commissioned in 1943, redesignated AGSS-311 in 1960 and used in oceanographic research, then sunk as a target in 1969. The seco.