WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Banded Archerfish

Toxotes jaculatrix

Also known as: Bowman, Common Archerfish, Northern Riflefish, Riflefish, Spinnerfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2012
Adult
@fishx6 · Cairns Boardwalk, Australia · April 20171 / 3
01

Overview

Found in small schools, around overhanging vegetation, in murky, brackish waters, of mangrove estuaries, reefs, rivers, and small streams.
They feed on insects and plant material, from the surface of the water.
Widespread Asia, Oceania

Archerfish are known for their ability to 'shoot down' insect prey by expelling beads of water from its mouth with considerable force and for its remarkable ability to compensate for visual refraction when aiming its shoots; shooting range is about 150 cm, hence the name!

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How to identify

Pattern
bars
Behaviour
schooling

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03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Country only · 3
LIVES IN

Found in small schools, around overhanging vegetation, in murky, brackish waters, of mangrove estuaries, reefs, rivers, and small streams.

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Adult photos 3

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderCarangaria incertae sedis
    5. familyToxotidae
    6. genusToxotes
    7. speciesToxotes jaculatrix (Pallas, 1767)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Carangaria incertae sedis