Summary
The upside-down catfish spends much of its life swimming belly-up, and its body is built for it -- even its coloring is flipped. Deep Look explores how this fish's structures suit its topsy-turvy lifestyle.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
An upside-down catfish feeds at the surface from below, so it swims inverted. Its dark belly and pale back are reversed from most fish -- camouflage that fits its flipped life.
- How does the upside-down catfish swim differently from most fish?
- Why is its light-and-dark coloring reversed?
- How does its body 'match' the way it feeds?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: camouflage, structure, adapt, habitat.
Try it: Most fish are dark on top, light below. Write why flipping that pattern makes sense for a fish that swims upside down.