Science and research
Model organisms and fish famous in science. 52 fish on EveryFish so far.
Fish are important in science. Some species are model organisms, small, fast-breeding fish that are studied in depth in laboratories to understand biology in general, from how embryos grow to how genes cause disease. Others are famous for what they reveal about evolution, such as the coelacanth, the blind cave fish and the cichlids of the African lakes. Fish also help scientists monitor the health of rivers and seas.
Zebrafish and medaka
The zebrafish, a small striped danio of South Asian streams, became a major model organism from the 1970s and 1980s. Its embryos are see-through and grow outside the mother, so scientists can watch organs and nerves form under the microscope. It is used to study development, heart and nerve disease, cancer and the effects of drugs and pollutants. The Japanese medaka is another model, and in 1994 medaka became the first vertebrates to mate and produce young in orbit, on a Space Shuttle flight.
Fish that explain evolution
The three-spined stickleback has repeatedly lost its bony armour after moving from the sea into lakes, letting scientists trace the genes involved. Sighted and blind forms of the Mexican tetra show how eyes are lost in caves. The turquoise killifish, which lives only a few months, is used to study ageing. The coelacanth and lungfish shed light on how fish first moved onto land, and the spotted gar's genome helps link fish genes to human ones.
Famous science and research fish
Still to be written: Nothobranchius furzeri, Guppy.
Further reading
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreAtlantic sturgeon
A large anadromous fish native to the western Atlantic Ocean and its river systems.Ancient · Rivers and lakes
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreShortnose sturgeon
A small, endangered North American sturgeon with a short snout.Ancient · Rivers and lakes · 1818
🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 moreTropical gar
A small freshwater predator from Central America known for its armored scales and air-breathing ability.Ancient · Rivers and lakes
🇺🇸 United StatesDelta smelt
A tiny, endangered fish native to California's Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1963
🇨🇺 CubaCuban gar
Large tropical freshwater predator native to western Cuba.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇺🇸 United States and 2 morePupfish
Small killifish known for surviving in extreme isolated waters.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes
WorldThree-spined stickleback
Small northern fish known for rapid evolution and complex breeding.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇸🇳 Senegal and 3 moreSenegal bichir
Ancient African fish that breathes air and walks on landAncient · Rivers and lakes
🇷🇺 Russia and 1 moreRuffe
A small, aggressive freshwater fish native to Eurasia that has become a major invasive pest in North America.Perch-like · Rivers and lakes · 1758
🇲🇽 Mexico and 3 moreXiphophorus
A genus of small livebearing fish native to Mexico and Central America, known for aquarium use and genetic research.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes
WorldKillifish
Small egg-laying fish known for hardiness and short lifespansLivebearer · Rivers and lakes
🇺🇸 United StatesLeast killifish
A tiny North American fish that gives birth to live young and measures just two centimetres long.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes
🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreMosquitofish
Small North American fish introduced globally for mosquito control.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes
🇯🇵 JapanJapanese rice fish
Small freshwater fish native to Japan and a key model organism.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇧🇷 Brazil and 1 moreLargescale four-eyes
Surface-dwelling fish with split eyes for dual vision.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes · 1758
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Atlantic sturgeon: Jiaqian AirplaneFan, CC BY 3.0, source
- Shortnose sturgeon: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Tropical gar: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bichir: 5snake5, CC0, source
- Mexican tetra: User:Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Delta smelt: Peterson, B. Moose / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain, source
- Cuban gar: Poleta33, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pupfish: P.V. Loiselle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Zebrafish: Roundish, CC0, source
- West Indian Ocean coelacanth: sybarite48, CC BY 2.0, source
- Three-spined stickleback: Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ruffe: Tiit Hunt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Spotted gar: Brian.gratwicke on English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, source
- Xiphophorus: Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Killifish: TinoStrauss, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Least killifish: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, source
- Mosquitofish: NOZO, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Japanese rice fish: NOZO, CC BY 3.0, source
- Largescale four-eyes: Michael Gäbler, CC BY 3.0, source