Longjaw mudsucker
Encyclopedia
The longjaw mudsucker Gillichthys mirabilis is a goby
(Gobiidae) of the Pacific Ocean
coast of California
and Baja California
, noted for its extremely large mouth and ability to survive out of water for short periods.
As the common name suggests, the upper jaw is extremely long, reaching nearly to the opercular opening. The head is broad and flat, with the eyes placed close to the top (but still widely spaced). Overall color is a dark brown to olive on the upper parts, and yellowish below; a faint pattern of vertical bars may be visible, and are prominent in juveniles. The first dorsal fin
is relatively small, with 4-8 spines, while the second dorsal fin is larger, with 10-17 rays. The pectoral fins are broad and rounded, with from 15 to 23 rays. They can reach lengths of 21 cm.
These mudsuckers occur in estuaries, primarily in tidal sloughs with shallow mud-covered bottoms, where they often excavate burrows. When the tide goes out and the mud is exposed, they will retreat to their burrows or move into tidal channels; if trapped on the mud, they can wait for the next tide by gulping air buccopharyngeal chamber in the throat. They feed on nearly anything they can find in the mud, including small fish such as California killifish
, but mostly live on invertebrates, the main choices depending on seasonal availability.
Their range extends from Tomales Bay
in the north to Bahia Magdalena in the south. A population in the Salton Sea
was introduced in 1950, and now thrives there. They are considered good bait fish
for freshwater fishing, such as on the Colorado River
, because they can be kept alive packed in moist algae, and will not reproduce in fresh water if they happen to escape.
Goby
The gobies form the family Gobiidae, which is one of the largest families of fish, with more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera. Most are relatively small, typically less than 10 cm in length...
(Gobiidae) of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, noted for its extremely large mouth and ability to survive out of water for short periods.
As the common name suggests, the upper jaw is extremely long, reaching nearly to the opercular opening. The head is broad and flat, with the eyes placed close to the top (but still widely spaced). Overall color is a dark brown to olive on the upper parts, and yellowish below; a faint pattern of vertical bars may be visible, and are prominent in juveniles. The first dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
is relatively small, with 4-8 spines, while the second dorsal fin is larger, with 10-17 rays. The pectoral fins are broad and rounded, with from 15 to 23 rays. They can reach lengths of 21 cm.
These mudsuckers occur in estuaries, primarily in tidal sloughs with shallow mud-covered bottoms, where they often excavate burrows. When the tide goes out and the mud is exposed, they will retreat to their burrows or move into tidal channels; if trapped on the mud, they can wait for the next tide by gulping air buccopharyngeal chamber in the throat. They feed on nearly anything they can find in the mud, including small fish such as California killifish
California killifish
The California killifish, Fundulus parvipinnis, is a type of killifish found along the coast of southern California and Baja California....
, but mostly live on invertebrates, the main choices depending on seasonal availability.
Their range extends from Tomales Bay
Tomales Bay
Tomales Bay is a long narrow inlet of the Pacific Ocean in Marin County in northern California in the United States. It is approximately 15 miles long and averages nearly 1.0 miles wide, effectively separating the Point Reyes Peninsula from the mainland of Marin County. It is located...
in the north to Bahia Magdalena in the south. A population in the Salton Sea
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial Valley. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Like Death...
was introduced in 1950, and now thrives there. They are considered good bait fish
Bait fish
Bait fish are small fish caught for use as bait to attract large predatory fish, particularly game fish. Species used are typically those that are common and breed rapidly, making them easy to catch and in regular supply. Examples of marine bait fish are anchovies, halfbeaks such as ballyhoo, and...
for freshwater fishing, such as on the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
, because they can be kept alive packed in moist algae, and will not reproduce in fresh water if they happen to escape.