Louisiana Animals Research
My animal is paddlefish or spoonbill
My research sources are (web addresses):
http://www.americaswetlandresources.com/wildlife_ecology/plants_animals_ecology/animals/fish/paddl
efish.html
Location and name of picture file (web addresses):
www.chem11.proboards.com (above)
www.statesymbolsusa.org (below)
Description--appearance, habitat, food, habits, enemies:
The paddlefish lives in the Mississippi River and its tributaries. It is
almost always found in rather murky water associated with river flood
plains.
When the fish opens its mouth wide and swims forward, large
quantities of water flow into the mouth, through the gills and their rakers, and out through the gill covers
(operculum). All plankton in the water is strained out on the comb-like gill rakers and is swallowed by the
fish. Paddlefish spend most of their time swimming with their mouths open and continually swallowing
plankton. Only in this way can such large fish live on such small individual food items.
A Note on Habitat: Paddlefish live in rivers that have flood plains (large areas that routinely flood after
heavy rains or snow melts). The reason this habitat is important for a filter feeder is that during the dry
period, leaves and other organic material build up on the ground, then wash into the river when the floods
occur. This abundance of organic matter feeds the lower end of the food chain (the plankton) and makes it
easy for paddle fish to make a living.
As we dam and levee our rivers, the flood plains disappear, so the rivers do not have amounts of organic
material to sustain a large population of plankton. Of course, this leads to the demise of the paddlefish. In
many areas, they have become scarce.
Special facts about the animal are:
The paddlefish has smooth skin like a catfish; a cartilaginous skeleton like sharks; a long, flat snout; and an
absolutely huge mouth. Though all these features are weird, some are adaptations for the paddlefish=s
peculiar way of life - that of a filter feeder. Yes, the paddle fish, which grows to over 6 ft long and 150 lb,
feeds on plankton, especially the water flea (Daphnia).
Be sure to include this on your Glog.
Name, including graphic
Habitat, including graphic
Diet
Appearance
Interesting Facts
Hyperlinks to sources and graphics