Bony tongue
Bony tongues are a group of large, tropical, freshwater fish known for their distinctive long bodies and large eyes. They belong to the order Osteoglossiformes and are characterized by their unique feeding mechanism, which involves teeth located on their tongues that crush prey against the teeth on the roofs of their mouths. Found in tropical rivers across South America, Africa, Australia, and southern Asia, bony tongues can grow to impressive lengths of up to 16 feet and weigh between 220 and 485 pounds.
These fish have a vibrant appearance, adorned with colorful scales and equipped with dorsal and anal fins positioned towards the rear of their bodies. Despite their generally graceful demeanor, bony tongues can exhibit quick bursts of speed, particularly when hunting or evading predators. Their diet primarily consists of insects and smaller fish, though some species also consume mud and plankton. Breeding habits remain largely undocumented, but many species build nests in sandy substrates or use plant materials, with a few known to care for their young in their mouths. Overall, the life span of bony tongues is still a mystery to researchers.
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Bony tongue
Bony tongues are relatively large, tropical, freshwater fish with large eyes and long bodies. Although they are known as graceful, slow moving fish, the bony tongues are also able to move very quickly.
Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Osteichthyes
Order: Osteoglossiformes
Family: Osteoglossidae
Genus: Chlamydoselachus
Species: Various (see below)
Bony tongues are members of the Osteoglossiformes order, containing six families and about 250 known species, though only around 100 species have been officially researched and observed. They are large, freshwater fish, living in tropical rivers in South America, Africa, Australia and southern Asia. They are some of the largest fish in the world and, on average, grow to a length of 16 feet (five meters) and a weight between 220 and 485 pounds (100 to 220 kilograms). Their bodies are covered with a series of mosaic, colorful scales. Present on the bony tongues are dorsal and anal, or back and belly, fins, which are located towards the backs of these fishs' bodies. The bony tongues have tooth-lined jaws similar to other fish. But when feeding, their bites are the result of a series of teeth on the bones in the tongues of these creatures. These teeth press against the teeth on the roofs of their mouths, and crush any press. These teeth give bony tongues their name.
Bony tongues are carnivores, or meat-eating, fish. Their diets include insects and other fish. Some species consume mud and plankton. While bony tongues are generally graceful, slow-moving fish, they are able to swim quickly in bursts of speed. This is especially true when feeding and when in danger.
The nests of most bony tongues consist of hollows, or shallow holes in the sand about 1 1/2 feet (1/2 meter) in diameter. Some others species of bony tongues build nests of broken plant material and vegetation about three feet (one meter) in diameter. Two of the South American, Asian, and Australian species raise their eggs and young in their mouths. Very little additional information is available on the breeding habits of the bony tongues.
The life span of the bony tongues is unknown.
Bibliography
“Arapaima.” Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/arapaima. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
Bales, Rebecca. “Arapaima.” A-Z Animals, 23 Mar. 2023, a-z-animals.com/animals/arapaima/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
“The Bony-Tongue Fishes Called Arowanas, Arapaima and Featherback Knifefishes in Aquariums.” Wet Web Media, www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/osteoglossiforms.htm. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.