Needlefish

ocean hunters · sharp teeth · fast fish

Super pointy jaws. Needlefish have long, narrow jaws packed with razor-sharp teeth that look like tiny needles, which is exactly how they got their name.

Shallow water speedsters. These fish zip through very shallow ocean waters and near the surface of open seas, hunting smaller fish at lightning speed.

Fish-eating specialists. Needlefish are piscivores, which means they eat other fish for almost every meal, using their needle-like teeth to catch slippery prey.

Found everywhere. Some needlefish live only in the ocean, while others hang out in brackish water (a mix of salt and fresh water) or even freshwater rivers and streams depending on the species.

Confusing nickname. Europeans originally called one needlefish a garfish, but that name later got mixed up with completely different North American freshwater fish called true gars.