Large, Fast-biting Fish Vulnerable to Extinction

Scientists have discovered that two characteristics—large size and fast bite—may indicate an evolutionary vulnerability in bony fishes. These two characteristics, large size and fast bite, are common to many predatory fishes—these fish must be large enough to overpower their prey and possess a fast bite speed to capture them.

There are a number of additional reasons large predatory fishes may tend to be more susceptible to decline. They often have low population growth rates and require larger territories. Additionally, large predatory fish occupy the top of their food chain and rely on healthy stocks of smaller fish as a prey source.

Scientists noted that during the last mass extinction 65 million years ago, numerous species of large bony fishes disappeared. Today, similar declines are being observed in populations of predatory fishes such as tuna and billfishes.

Find out more: Study Unravels Why Certain Fishes Went Extinct 65 Million Years Ago (Eurekalert)

Photo © Matt Friedman. Fossil herrings. These fossils were collected from the Eocene Green River Formation located where the US states of Colorado, Utah and Nevada converge. Herrings are small breed of fish that survived the last mass extinction, 65 million years ago. In contrast, large predatory bony fish species of that time perished.