Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing the bowfin. These fish are the only living members of their order. Originally, they could be found in various parts of the world, but today they are restricted to the eastern half of North America.

Bowfin are freshwater fish and are sometimes called primitive because they have similar traits to fish ancestors, such as the ability to breathe air. Bowfin live in clear streams with lots of vegetation, but they can also be found in oxbow lakes and places with low oxygen. They can even survive in mud puddles! Unlike the gills of many other fish species, bowfin gills are fused and maintain their shape outside of water. Gills in other fish collapse when not suspended in water meaning they can’t breathe. Bowfin can also inhale air through a modified swim bladder and may breathe this way more frequently the warmer the surrounding temperature is, though they most often rely on their gills to take in oxygen.

Mudskippers are another fish we’ve discussed that can survive outside of water and have sturdy gills. In the case of the bowfin, they’ve been observed living 21 days living in nothing but mud. For this reason, these fish are also known as mudfish. Some of their other common names include cypress trout, cottonfish, grinnell, and dogfish, though this shouldn’t be confused with the shark family that shares the same name.

In size, bowfin average about two feet (61cm) in length and females are slightly larger than males. They have a long dorsal fin that extends over most of their back until it reaches the tailfin. This dorsal fin helps the bowfin swim both forwards and backwards in what is called ribbon-fin locomotion. Male and female bowfin can be told apart by looking at their tailfins. A dark eyespot surrounded by orange or yellow is present in males but often less pronounced or absent in females.

Like their relatives, the gar, bowfin are well armored and typically top the food chain, though they may be eaten by other members of their species as well as alligators. In turn, bowfin are predatory fish with sharp, needle-like teeth perfectly designed for holding onto a wriggling fish. Other fish such as catfish and perch make up the bowfin’s main diet, but they’ll also take crayfish and frogs. They spend daytime hours in deeper parts of their home and at night they enter shallow areas. These shallow areas are also used for breeding.

On average, bowfin live to be about a decade old in the wild. They are fast growing fish and are provided protection while young. In the late spring, a male bowfin will dig a small cavity along the bottom of a lake, stream, or river clearing out any debris like twigs and rocks and chewing off exposed roots. He’ll remain here until a female passes by at which point she’ll enter the nest and they’ll release their sperm and eggs simultaneously. The female leaves, often to find another male, meaning bowfin nests consist of thousands of offspring from different mothers. The male remains at the nest and aggressively guards it.

The eggs hatch just over a week later and the young remain in the nest for another nine days. At this point, the babies are a bit larger and begin to venture out with their father swimming over them for protection. Once they reach about four inches (10cm) in length, they are ready to set off on their own and lead solitary lives.

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