Category: Fish
The emerald shiner belongs to a group of hundreds of species of small, slender, shiny fish known as “shiners.” They are widely distributed in North America, inhabiting large, deep lakes and rivers, and sometimes smaller bodies of water as well. They are commonly used as bait fish and are able to tolerate a wide range of water conditions.
The Oldest Fish in the Sea?
The Greenland Sleeper Shark, the only living species of sub-Arctic shark, is an apex predator only slightly smaller than the great white shark, with an estimated lifespan of 200 years - one of the longest-living vertebrates on the planet. While the Greenland Shark is a slow swimmer, it will eat just about anything: eels, flounders, other sharks, seals - and those are just animals who live in the water! Polar bear remains and even an entire reindeer body have been found inside these sharks! Fortunately, while there are Inuit legends of Greenland sharks attacking kayaks, there have been no reports of human predation. There have been, however many cases of people eating Greenland sharks! Their meat is highly toxic - it will produce effects in your body similar to being extremely drunk, but a fermented version that has been hung out to dry for several weeks is considered a delicacy in Iceland.
Learn more >>
Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
