Mudskipper

Mudskippers are remarkable fish that are specially adapted to life in mangrove forests and muddy coastal areas. Unlike most fish, they can leave the water and move across wet mud using their strong fins.

🌿 Fascinating Facts

• Mudskippers can breathe air through their moist skin and the lining of their mouth and throat.
• Their large, movable eyes sit high on their heads, helping them see predators and food while they are on land.
• Their strong pectoral fins help them “walk” and hop across the mud.
• They often live in burrows in mangrove mudflats.
• They feed on small animals, algae and organic matter found on the mud surface.

🌊 Why Are They Important?
Mudskippers are part of the mangrove food web and help transfer energy between aquatic and land-based parts of the ecosystem. Their burrowing activities can also influence the movement of water and oxygen through the muddy sediment.

💡 Did You Know?
A mudskipper may look like it is walking rather than swimming—but it is still very much a fish!