Bitterling
Rhodeus amarus
Where is it found?
Freshwater
Diet and foraging method
|
Grazes on plants and algae, and picks up prey from the water bed.
|
Key adaptations
The female has a long 'ovipositor' which is specially adapted to reach into mussels in order to lay her eggs.
Social organisation and mating system
N/A
Did you know that...?
Female Bitterlings lay their eggs inside freshwater mussel shells, which hatch and stay in the shell for protection for about a month, leaving as swimming larvae.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
"BittervoornRhodeusAmarusVrouwtje" by Viridiflavus - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BittervoornRhodeusAmarusVrouwtje.JPG#/media/File:BittervoornRhodeusAmarusVrouwtje.JPG
"RhodeusAmarusBitterlingMale1" by Viridiflavus - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RhodeusAmarusBitterlingMale1.JPG#/media/File:RhodeusAmarusBitterlingMale1.JPG
"RhodeusSericeusScales" by Piet Spaans - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RhodeusSericeusScales.JPG#/media/File:RhodeusSericeusScales.JPG
"RhodeusAmarusBitterlingMale1" by Viridiflavus - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RhodeusAmarusBitterlingMale1.JPG#/media/File:RhodeusAmarusBitterlingMale1.JPG
"RhodeusSericeusScales" by Piet Spaans - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RhodeusSericeusScales.JPG#/media/File:RhodeusSericeusScales.JPG