Wood-eating Catfish
(Panaque)
HABITAT? The Amazonian rain forest
DID YOU KNOW?
– This species of fish eats wood, but doesn’t digest it. It digests the algae, microscopic plants and animals living on the wood. The actual wood pieces become its waste.
– It has four jaws with teeth that can move in different directions to grind wood.
– Males have bristles on their fins and heads.
– It is often cooked whole and eaten right out of its armoured shell.
– Its spoon-shaped teeth help it scrape food off of fallen tree logs.