The Small Sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus) is a slender, elongated fish with a distinctive pointed head and a slightly compressed body. Found in marine environments, this species is a valuable part of the food chain, serving as a food source for larger fish and seabirds.
Description & Characteristics
The Small Sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus) typically reaches a maximum size of 20.0 cm. It is characterized by a silver-grey body with a darker back and a white belly. Its elongated shape and pointed head are well-suited for burrowing in sand, a behavior they utilize for protection and ambushing prey.
Habitat and Occurrence
The Small Sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus) prefers to reside in shallow coastal waters, typically found at depths between 1.0 and 96.0 meters. This species is commonly found in the neritic zone, which is the region of the ocean extending from the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf. They exhibit a preference for sandy or gravelly bottoms where they can easily burrow.
Taxonomy
The Small Sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus) belongs to the family Ammodytidae, which comprises the sand eels and is part of the diverse order Perciformes, encompassing a vast array of bony fish. This species is also classified under the Class Teleostei, a major group of ray-finned fishes that includes a significant portion of the world’s fish species.
Feeding
The Small Sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus) is a carnivorous fish with a diet mainly consisting of small crustaceans and zooplankton. They feed on a variety of organisms, including: amphipods, brine shrimps, copepods, cyclops, Daphnia salina, fish larvae, invertebrates, mysids, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. Their feeding strategy is often ambush-based, using their burrowing abilities to hide and quickly dart out to capture unsuspecting prey.
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