Animals
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When we talk about aquatic animals, the first thing to come to one's mind would be fish. the freshwater biome is home to as many as 41 percent of the fish species found on the planet. If we are to put that in numbers, roughly about 10,000 of the world's 25,000 species of fish are found in this biome. Then there are diadromous species,species that migrate between the sea and freshwater sources. Some of the most common freshwater species are perch, catfish, bluegill, bullheads, barbs, tetras, eels, salmon, bass, trouts, piranhas, etc.
The list of amphibians found in freshwater include aquatic frogs (like the African dwarf frog and Western clawed frog), salamanders (like the Mexican salamander and Chinese giant salamander), and newts (like the Spotted paddle-tail newt and Alpine newt) Interestingly, this biome also boasts of housing the largest amphibian in the world, the Chinese giant salamander which measures an impressive 5 ft 11 inches in length. It's also worth noting that most of the amphibians require fresh water when it comes to reproduction. Insects are quite common in freshwater sources, especially in stagnant water sources which are ideal breeding grounds for them. These include mayflies, water beetles, water bugs, etc. Similarly, there also exist water fleas, i.e., tiny creatures which feed on cyanobacteria in the water, in this biome. Aquatic insects also act as a food source for various other animals in this biome, and thus, form a crucial part of the freshwater food chain. As for reptiles, water snakes such as water moccasins, northern water snakes, banded water snakes, etc., are quite common. While the Brazilian smooth snake is a venomous species, those belonging to genus Enhydris are considered mildly venomous. Other reptiles include crocodiles (freshwater crocodiles), alligators (American alligators), and hundreds of species of turtles (Asian softshell turtles, yellow-spotted river turtles, river cooters, etc.) Australia alone has 23 species of turtles to its credit. While several species of birds and mammals are dependent on the freshwater ecosystem for food, there are a few which themselves form an important part of this ecosystem. In fact, they spend most of the time in these water sources. As for birds found in this biome, the list is dominated by ducks and geese. On the other hand, the list of mammals includes river otters, beavers, river dolphins, manatees, etc. These birds and mammals form an important part of the freshwater biome food web. Cites:
"Freshwater Animals | The Nature Conservancy." Freshwater Animals | The Nature Conservancy. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/specialfeatures/animals/freshwater-animals.xml>. "Freshwater Biome." Animal Facts and Information. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. <http://www.bioexpedition.com/freshwater-biome/. |