Imagine afish with legs. That fish would be pretty weird, right?
Sure! Many people have agreed that it would be highly unusual for an aquatic creature to walk around on four legs.
You contend that most people haven’t thought about that, though – if they have, it’s likely been relegated to the background as a matter of science fiction or philosophy.
But what if such a beast did exist? Would it also thrive in this world?
After all, nature isresilientand has no problem rooting out what it needs from the surrounding environment. In this article, we willfish with legs.
Table of Contents
1. Hemiscyllium Ocellatum
Hemiscyllium ocellatum, also known as theleopardorzebra shark, is a species of cartilaginous fish in the familyHemiscylliidae.
The leopard shark is a small but stocky species with aflat bodyandbroad head. It has noanal finand a pair of dorsal fins placed far back on its body.
The first dorsal fin has ashort spineat the tip, while the second dorsal fin has no spines but hasone to threelarge keels.
This species can grow up to1 m (3 ft 3 in)in length and weigh up to10 kg (22 lb). Its coloration is variable, but typically it has dark brown spots on its back and white spots on its sides and belly.
Leopard sharksare found in tropical waters aroundAustralia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and northern Queensland. They live on muddy or sandy bottoms between2 m(6 ft 7 in) and140 m(460 ft), where they feed on small fish, shrimp, squid, and crabs.
2. Polypterus Bichir Lapradei
Image CreditThePolypterus Bichiris a freshwater fish with back legs and can walk on land. It is also known as thewalking fish,the bichir, or thefour-eyedfish.
It is native toAfricaandAsiaand is found in rivers, lakes, and wetlands. They arecarnivorousfish that feed on small fish, insects, crustaceans, and tadpoles.
ThePolypterus Bichircan grow up to2 feetlong, but they have reached up to6 feetlong when kept in captivity. The young have been known to grow up to3 incheslong after one year of growth in captivity.
ThePolypterus Bichirhas a large mouth with sharp teeth located at the front of its face that help it catch its prey as well as protect itself from predators such as larger fish who may try to eat them for their size or even humans who may want to keep them as pets for their unique appearance which makes them very popular amongaquariumowners worldwide.
3. Brachionichthys Hirsutus
Thebrachionichthys hirsutus(also known as the hairy dwarf-herring) is a small fish with legs in marine waters worldwide.
It hasthree pairsof fins,two pectoralandone caudal.
The caudal fin is fan-shaped, while the other fins are both sickle-shaped.
The body of this species isbrownish-greyin color with darker spots on its back which are more prominent during the breeding season.
The eyes are located on the top of its head, with a pointed snout and a small mouth with no teeth.
The dorsal fin starts at the middle of its body and ends before reaching the caudal fin. They havethree barbelsnear their mouth which help them find food on the ocean floor.
4. Ogcocephalus Darwini
TheOgcocephalus Darwiniis a species of fish with legs native to the planetPandora.
It is also known as an “Og” or a “legfish.” They areomnivorouspredators and scavengers, eating anything from worms to small birds.
In appearance, the Ogcocephalus resembles an average fish with four legs instead of fins. It has brightorange eyesand several rows ofsharp teethlining its mouth.
5. Tarrasius Problematicus
Tarrasius Problematicusis a species of fish with legs. It lives in freshwater environments and can be found in lakes, swamps, rivers, and streams.
It has been known to grow up to1.5 meterslong and weigh up to2 kilograms. It hastwo eyesbut onlyone nostril, which explains the smelliness associated with these creatures.
They have been known to live for up to40 yearsin captivity, but wild specimens tend to die much sooner due to predation from several species of birds and mammals, such as raccoons, squirrels, and humans.
TheTarrasius Problematicushas been known to eat anything it can fit into its mouth, including rocks, sticks, and small animals such aslizardsormiceif they’re lucky enough to find them during a rare hunting excursion outside their habitat.
6. Tiktaalik Roseae
Image CreditTiktaalik roseaewas a fish species with “limbs” that lived375 millionyears ago.
This is a must-see exhibit as Tiktaalik roseae was a fish species with “limbs” that lived375 million years ago.
It’s considered one of the most importantfossildiscoveries ever made because it helps scientists understand how animals evolved limbs and eventually walked on land.
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7. Antennarius Maculatus
TheAntennarius maculatusis a small fish with a large tail, which can be almost as long as its body. They are found in the warm waters of thePacific Oceanand are known for their unique behavior.
Antennarius maculatus, also known as thespotted-backanglerfish orPacificanglerfish, is an extremelyrareandunusualfish.
It is found in thewarm watersof the Pacific Ocean, where it lives at depths between1,000and2,000feet below sea level.
These fish have been observed at depths of up to3,300 feetbelow sea level. They are known for their unusual behavior when they are feeding on prey.
8. Eastmanosteus Pustulosus
Image CreditEastmanosteus Pustulosusis a species of fish with legs as it hassix legsand can walk on land but prefers to live in freshwater.
The species is found in theGreat Lakesregion of North America, and this fish is also known as the “mud walker.”
It can be up tothree feetlong and weigh as much as fifty pounds. It hastwo pairsof eyes, one on each side of its head.
Its skin is covered with spines that help protect it from predators.
The mud walker has powerful jaws that help it catch prey like frogs and insects.
It also eats plants and algae from rocks along shorelines or underwater plant life such asseaweedorkelp– especially when young; they consumesmall crustaceanssuch as shrimp, crayfish, and amphipods (a type of shrimp-like animal).
9. Atractosteus Spatula
Atractosteus Spatulais a fish species withthree pairsof long, sharp, spiky scales on its back. These are poisonous and can cause severe pain.
It also hasfour rowsof bony plates across its back.
The Atractosteus spatula is also known as thelargemouth guitarfishor thebullhead shark.
The Atractosteus spatula lives in coastal waters in the westernAtlantic Oceanand theGulf of Mexico.
It is found in shallow water along beaches and sea grass beds, feeding on mollusks, crabs, small fish, and other invertebrates.
Its predators include larger fish such as sharks and dolphins.
10. Protopterus Annectens
Image CreditProtopterus Annectens, also known as theAfrican Lungfish, is a species of lungfish that can survive in water with low oxygen levels.
This species of lungfish is found inAfricaand has been around for over250 millionyears. They are closely related to land animals such as amphibians and reptiles but have gills instead of lungs.
They have fins that look likelegsand along tail, making them look like tadpoles when they swim.
Lungfish are the most primitive fish on Earth today. They have no jaws or scales, but they have lungs that allow them to live on land for short periods when there is no water available for them to breathe. When they need to breathe air, they will crawl up on land using their fins as legs and gills as lungs.
11. Latimeria Chalumnae
Image CreditLatimeria Chalumnae, also known as thecoelacanth, is a large bony fish with four fleshy fins and a long body.
It is one of two species in the genusLatimeria, the other beingLatimeria menadoensis.
Coelacanthsare fish capable of living in bothsaltwater andfreshwater. They live on the ocean bottom at depths from100 to 1,300 feet(30 to 400 m).
The coelacanth has no scales, but their skin is covered withthick mucusthat feelsslimyto the touch.
The coloration is mottleddark brown/greenabove and whites below. Thiscamouflagepattern helps them blend in with their rocky habitat.
The most unusual feature of this fish is its lobed fins, which give it the appearance of having legs.
This illusion comes from the fact that each lobe is supported by an array of bones similar to those found in our limbs – only much smaller.
12. Leptolepis Koonwarriensis
Leptolepis Koonwarriensisis a prehistoric fish with legs.
It lived in theCarboniferous period, about300 millionyears ago, and was one of the earliest known vertebrates to have legs.
Leptolepishadtwo pairsof fins used forswimminganddigginginto the mud for food.
The front pair of fins were modified toform legs, allowing it to walk on land.
It has been suggested thatLeptolepismay have been able to breathe air from itsgillslike amphibians today do, rather than having lungs like fish.
Wrapping Up
Fish with legs(technically, any fish that can ‘walk’) are fascinating creatures.
The discovery of these bionic animals proves that we are only scratching the surface of what life can form.
However they came to be, the fact remains that they exist in our world today. To think about what the future may hold is truly an amazing thing.
