Predatory Fish Have The Largest Mouths, Often Sporting Long, Sharp Teeth

Predatory fish have the largest mouth. They often have long, sharp teeth. Some species have mouth jaws that can be extended. This allows the fish to lengthen its effective reach. Other species have specialized mouthparts that allow them to rasp algae off rocks. The top jaw is wider and the lower jaw is longer than the upper jaw. Fish with this type of mouth feed at the surface. They lie in wait for prey to appear above them.

Then they strike from below. Terminal mouth jaws are located in the middle of the head and point forward. More fish have this mouth type than any other. Moray eels are one species. They have a pharyngeal jaw placed well back in their throat. :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Images-200274919-001-584078a63df78c023033ab6b. A greatly elongated snout is another form of mouth adaptation.

Some surface-feeding fish have an elongated mouth that allows them to scoop insects and food particles from the water. The beak mouth is an interesting but less common mouth variation. . . .