Which Fish Can Live Out of Water?
Some species have evolved the ability to breathe air—and literally cross the road.
"Fish out of water" usually means someone who’s totally out of place.
Some fish didn’t get the memo.
For Saturday’s Weird Animal Question of the Week, Ving Salcedo asked what type of fish can live without water for a small period of time. It turns out quite a few have a fin in both worlds.
Several fish are amphibious, meaning they can typically survive out of water, Andy Turko, of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, says via email.
Turko co-authored a recent study on the mangrove rivulus, a fish that leaps on land when its tropical waters get too warm. (Related: "To Cool Off, This Fish Leaves the Water.")
Fish use gills to take in oxygen from the water.
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