A sand lance or sandlance is a fish belonging to the family Ammodytidae. Several species of sand lances are commonly known as "sand eels", though they are not related to true eels. Another variant name is launce,[2] and all names of the fish are references to its slender body and pointed snout. The family name (and genus name, Ammodytes) means "sand burrower", which describes the sand lance's habit of burrowing into sand to avoid tidal currents.
A common tern with a sand lance, Biddeford Pool, ME - August 2013
Sand lances are most commonly encountered by fishermen in the North Pacific and North Atlantic, but are found in oceans throughout the world. These fish do not have pelvic fins and do not develop swim bladders, staying true to their bottom-dwelling habit as adults. Both adult and larval sea lances primarily feed on copepods. Larval forms of this fish are perhaps the most abundant of all fish larvae in areas such as the northwest Atlantic, serving as a major food item for cod, salmon, whales[3] and other commercially important species. As adults, sand lances are harvested commercially in some areas (primarily in Europe), leading to direct human competition with diving birds such as puffins, auks, terns, and cormorants. Some species are inshore coastal dwellers, and digging for sand lances to use as a bait fish has been a popular pastime in coastal areas of Europe and North America. Other species are deep-water dwellers, some of which have only recently been described to science, and most of which lack common names.
Sand lances have chameleon-like independent eye movements and special focusing lenses. Sand lance also have a tongue that can quickly dart out of its mouth at high velocity, a ballistic tongue. Sand lances and chameleons share other features.[4][5][6]
Timelineedit
See alsoedit
The sand lance has lent its name to two submarines of the United States Navy:
Bigelow, H. B.; Schroeder, W. C. (1953). "Sand launce Ammodytes americanus De Kay 1942, in Fishes of the Gulf of Maine, Fishery Bulletin 74". Fishery Bulletin of the Fish and Wildlife Service. 53.
biologists.org on independent eye movements
Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
^Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2012). "Ammodytidae" in FishBase. December 2012 version.
^. News.nationalgeographic.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
^John D. Pettigrew, Shaun P. Collin, and Matthias Ott, “Convergence of Specialised Behaviour, Eye Movements and Visual Optics in the Sandlance (Teleostei) and the Chameleon (Reptilia),” Current Biology 9 (April 1999): 421–24, doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(99)80189-4
^Michael F. Land, “Visual Optics: The Sandlance Eye Breaks All the Rules,” Current Biology 9 (April 1999): R286–88, doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(99)80180-8.
^Chameleons And Their Amazing Tongues, November 6, 2022, biobubblepets.com
External linksedit
Sand Lance profile at Fisheries and Oceans Canada
January 09, 2024
sand, lance, sand, lance, sandlance, fish, belonging, family, ammodytidae, several, species, sand, lances, commonly, known, sand, eels, though, they, related, true, eels, another, variant, name, launce, names, fish, references, slender, body, pointed, snout, f. A sand lance or sandlance is a fish belonging to the family Ammodytidae Several species of sand lances are commonly known as sand eels though they are not related to true eels Another variant name is launce 2 and all names of the fish are references to its slender body and pointed snout The family name and genus name Ammodytes means sand burrower which describes the sand lance s habit of burrowing into sand to avoid tidal currents Sand lancesAmmodytes hexapterusScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ActinopterygiiOrder TrachiniformesFamily AmmodytidaeBonaparte 1832Genera 1 AmmodytesAmmodytoidesBleekeriaGymnammodytesHyperoplusLepidammodytesProtammodytesA common tern with a sand lance Biddeford Pool ME August 2013Sand lances are most commonly encountered by fishermen in the North Pacific and North Atlantic but are found in oceans throughout the world These fish do not have pelvic fins and do not develop swim bladders staying true to their bottom dwelling habit as adults Both adult and larval sea lances primarily feed on copepods Larval forms of this fish are perhaps the most abundant of all fish larvae in areas such as the northwest Atlantic serving as a major food item for cod salmon whales 3 and other commercially important species As adults sand lances are harvested commercially in some areas primarily in Europe leading to direct human competition with diving birds such as puffins auks terns and cormorants Some species are inshore coastal dwellers and digging for sand lances to use as a bait fish has been a popular pastime in coastal areas of Europe and North America Other species are deep water dwellers some of which have only recently been described to science and most of which lack common names Ammodytes americanusAmmodytes tobianusAmmodytes dubiusContents 1 Chameleon like 2 Timeline 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksChameleon like editSand lances have chameleon like independent eye movements and special focusing lenses Sand lance also have a tongue that can quickly dart out of its mouth at high velocity a ballistic tongue Sand lances and chameleons share other features 4 5 6 Timeline editSee also editThe sand lance has lent its name to two submarines of the United States Navy USS Sand Lance SS 381 a Balao class submarine USS Sand Lance SSN 660 a Sturgeon class nuclear submarine References editBigelow H B Schroeder W C 1953 Sand launce Ammodytes americanus De Kay 1942 in Fishes of the Gulf of Maine Fishery Bulletin 74 Fishery Bulletin of the Fish and Wildlife Service 53 biologists org on independent eye movements Sepkoski Jack 2002 A compendium of fossil marine animal genera Bulletins of American Paleontology 364 560 Retrieved 2011 05 19 Froese Rainer and Daniel Pauly eds 2012 Ammodytidae in FishBase December 2012 version Bigalow amp amp Schroeder 1953 Do Whales Have Culture Humpbacks Pass on Behavior News nationalgeographic com Archived from the original on April 27 2013 Retrieved 2013 04 28 John D Pettigrew Shaun P Collin and Matthias Ott Convergence of Specialised Behaviour Eye Movements and Visual Optics in the Sandlance Teleostei and the Chameleon Reptilia Current Biology 9 April 1999 421 24 doi 10 1016 S0960 9822 99 80189 4 Michael F Land Visual Optics The Sandlance Eye Breaks All the Rules Current Biology 9 April 1999 R286 88 doi 10 1016 S0960 9822 99 80180 8 Chameleons And Their Amazing Tongues November 6 2022 biobubblepets comExternal links editSand Lance profile at Fisheries and Oceans Canada Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sand lance amp oldid 1186575135, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
