Sand Lance

Sand Lance

Ammodytes americanus

Size: to 8"

Habitat: inshore waters, from surface to bottom

Notes: The Sand Lance is an important link in the marine food chain. It is a major part of the diet of many commercially important fishes, as well as whales and seals. Sand Lances form huge schools to feed on phytoplankton and have the ability to dive into the bottom sediments to escape predators. I have never seen a live one, but they are common in the bellies of other fishes that you may catch.

Sand Lance
Schooling Sand Lances
Sand Lance

Bullfrog
Bullfrog

"Higher animals" is a catch-all term for vertebrates other than fish. This is rather self-congratulatory, since the so-called "lower animals" - fishes and invertebrates - are actually the dominant species on the planet, both in numbers and diversity! The four classes of higher animals are:

  • Amphibians - class Amphibia
  • Reptiles - class Reptilia
  • Birds - class Aves
  • Mammals - class Mammalia

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