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Generally, adult barracudas are considered to be solitary when it comes to hunting, though young barracudas tend to gather in large ‘schools’, sometimes in hundreds or even thousands. Schooling offers the young fish protection from predators on the basis of safety in numbers.
- Barracuda Profile
- Interesting Barracuda Facts
- Barracuda Fact-File Summary
Throughout the tropical oceans of the world lurks a truly ferocious piscivore – one which has achieved worldwide notoriety for its role in Pixar’s Finding Nemo, in which it infamously gobbles up the titular character’s mother! All but invisible until it’s too late, the barracudaor ‘cuda’ for short, is a fearsome and lightning fast fish-seeking miss...
1. Barracudas are ferocious ambush predators
With a slim, torpedo-like body shape and crescent-shaped tail fins, barracudas are built for short bursts of speed. They can accelerate from a standstill to their top speed of 36 miles per hour (58 kph) in a blink of an eye, closing the distance and seizing their prey before it even has time to react.
2. The Largest barracuda caught was over 6 feet in length
Thomas Gibson from the USA caught a Guinean barracuda weighing 46.40 kilograms (102 pounds 4 ounces) which measured around 2 metres (6 feet 6 inches) on 14 February 2013 in Angola.
3. They can hide in plain sight
Barracudas are countershaded; with darker colours on the top half of their bodies and lighter shades on their bellies, they are camouflaged against both the ocean below them and the surface above. Their silvered flanks help to conceal them further, and their snake-like bodies create an extremely small profile when viewed head-on; from the point of view of their prey, the barracuda is virtually invisible as it approaches.
Scientific Classification
1. Grubich, J.R., Rice, A.N. and Westneat, M.W. (2008). Functional morphology of bite mechanics in the great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda). Zoology, [online] 111(1), pp.16–29. doi:10.1016/j.zool.2007.05.003. 2. Rajesh, K.M., Rohit, P., Viswambharan, D., Abdussamad, E.M. and Rajesh, M. (2021). Feeding behaviour of the sawtooth barracuda, Sphyraena putnamae (Jordan and Seale, 1905) along the southeastern Arabian Sea, India. Regional Studies in Marine Science, [online] 47, p.101974. doi:10.101...
- Actinopterygii
- Istiophoriformes
- Animalia
- Chordata
Barracudas are ferocious, opportunistic predators, relying on surprise and short bursts of speed, up to 27 mph (43 km/h), [13] to overtake their prey. Adults of most species are more or less solitary, while young and half-grown fish frequently congregate. Barracudas prey primarily on fish (which may include some as large as themselves).
The smaller species live in groups called shoals and hunt together while larger barracuda are solitary.
Social Structure: While juvenile barracudas tend to group together in schools for safety, adults are more solitary, especially when hunting. However, it’s not uncommon to see several adults in a specific area where food is abundant.
- Actinopterygii
- Osteichthyes ( Bony fish)
- Chordata
2 days ago · Barracudas are solitary hunters and typically feed on smaller fish, but they have been known to attack larger prey such as tuna and even dolphins. In some cultures, barracudas are considered a delicacy and are often served raw as sushi or sashimi.
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Sep 14, 2023 · With its sleek body, sharp teeth, and lightning-fast speed, the barracuda is a formidable predator. In this article, we will explore the biology, habitat, ecological role, human interaction, conservation status, and threats faced by these fascinating creatures.
