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School of Fusiliers
Photograph by Bill Curtsinger
Rhapsody in blur, a school of yellowtail fusiliers (Caesio cuning) swims near the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Their schooling behavior is a social adaptation that provides safety in numbers for the fish as they feed on plankton near coral reefs.
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Orange Basslets in Soft Coral
Photograph by Tim Laman
A school of orange basslets (Pseudanthias squamipinnis) feeds along with pink soft-coral polyps in Fiji’s Vatu-i-Ra Channel. Strong currents bring plankton-rich waters to Fiji, nourishing the almost 4,000 square miles (10,400 square kilometers) of its reefs.
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School of Barracuda
Photograph by Wolcott Henry
Torpedo-sleek barracuda swim in a circular formation near the Solomon Islands. Barracuda (Sphyraena sp.) feed on small fish and may protect themselves against larger predators, such as sharks, by aggregating in schools. The barracuda’s lower jaw juts forward and contains the sharp teeth for which the family is known.
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Sea Lion Chase
Photograph by David Doubilet
A school of salema attempts to outmaneuver a hungry sea lion near the Galápagos Islands by circling to confuse the predator. Galápagos sea lions dive down some 120 feet (37 meters) on average to feed, returning to the surface after a minute or two to breathe.
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School of Herring
Photograph by Paul Nicklen
The streaming waters of Queen Charlotte Strait, located between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia, host a school of herring. Tidal action and the strait’s geography create tidal currents that can travel as fast as 18 miles (30 kilometers) an hour. The nutrient-rich water feeds the fish, and government quotas have helped the herring population rebound.
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School of Grunt Fish
Photograph by George Grall
Blue-striped grunt fish (Haemulon sciurus) and French grunt fish (Haemulon flavolineatum) school together near Bonaire Island in the Caribbean Sea. The sounds grunts make when grinding their teeth, using their swim bladders to amplify the sound, earned them their common name.
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Striped Eel Catfish
Photograph by David Doubilet
Whiskers at the ready, a group of striped-eel catfish in Indonesia’s Lembeh Strait peers into the camera. The only catfish species to live in coral reefs, the juveniles of striped-eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus) form dense schools shaped like a ball.
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Spawning Atlantic Salmon
Photograph by Paul Nicklen
With eyes on their spawning ground, Atlantic salmon swim upstream during their spawning run. These wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are a rarity, as most Atlantic salmon today spend their time on fish farms.
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Butterfly Fish, French Polynesia
Photograph by David Doubilet
Seemingly fearless, butterfly fish in the Tuamotu archipelago in French Polynesia swim around a coral reef. Their vivid colors and markings make butterfly fish (Chaetodontidae) attractive aquarium fish, but many species require special attention and maintenance.
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School of Horse-Eye Jack
Photograph by Raul Touzon
Horse-eye jack swim in a dense school in the Cayman Islands. Known to approach divers, horse-eye jack (Caranx latus) are associated with coral reefs and can reach lengths of more than 3 feet (0.9 meters).
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Caged Bluefin Tuna
Photograph by Brian Skerry
These caged bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) swim in Spanish waters. They’ll be fattened for the sushi market, where their buttery meat fetches high prices. The bluefin has proved to be no match for a high-tech fishing industry, which has sent their numbers into a precipitous decline.
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