150 Fishes to Celebrate 150 Years
This list is still in progress and being added to weekly. Check back again soon!
150 Fishes to Celebrate 150 Years
In 2020, the American Fisheries Society will celebrate its 150th Anniversary. As part of the celebration, the Society will be calling attention to 150 fishes. We solicited nominations of fishes for the list by the Society’s membership.
The 150 Fishes list is a celebration of the biodiversity of freshwater and marine fishes of North America. These fishes will help tell the story of fish and fisheries of the continent. They may illustrate unique life histories, beauty, conservation issues, and challenges of managing and conserving these animals and their habitats. These fishes represent our native biodiversity, but also illustrates how invasives and our own human nature have had impacts on our aquatic resources. Hence, this list will primarily focus on native species but may include non-natives when they tell a compelling fisheries story. From the stories of these fishes, the Society and the public can learn to better appreciate these amazing natural resources and be challenged to ensure that future generations will be able to experience these fishes in their native settings.
Nomination Process
Fish nominations are now closed.
Circulation Process
The 150 Fishes list will reside at the 150th Anniversary Website, information about individual fish from the list will be circulated through various social media platforms throughout the year.
This list is meant to be a fun for members and informative for the public. It is unlikely we will be able to include all nominations. We acknowledge that every fish has a story. There may be opportunities to discuss all the nominated fishes in the future.
FULL LIST OF NOMINATED FISH
| Catchy Title | You gotta a'more a moray |
|---|---|
| Common Name of Fish | Green moray |
| Scientific Name of Fish | Gymnothorax funebris |
| Description of Why This Fish Is Important/Interesting | Green Morays are among the largest of moray eels, sometimes reaching lengths 7-8 feet. Snorkelers and divers don't often see all 7 feet of a Green Moray, because this fish hides in crevices and holes among the reefs it inhabits along the Atlantic Coast and Caribbean. They wait for prey to venture too close and spring out of hiding to grasp their prey with a mouth full of sharp teeth. This is when things get interesting. The Green Moray actually has a second, smaller set of jaws (called pharyngeal jaws) that moves forward from the back of the mouth to pull prey down its throat. A Green Moray actually has brown skin, but it exudes a coat of mucus that give it a yellowish-green appearance. Eight feet long, covered with slime, two sets of jaws, just waiting to ambush prey. What's not to a'more about a Green Moray? |
| Website or Journal Article for More Information | https://www.lamar.edu/arts-sciences/biology/marine-critters/marine-critters-1/green-moray-eel.html |
| Your Name | Steve Lochmann |