Mummichog
Fundulus heteroclitus
- Class
- Ray-finned fish
- Rarity
- Common
- Observations
- 3,485
- Most observed in
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) is a small killifish found along the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada. Also known as Atlantic killifish, mummies, gudgeons, and mud minnows, these fish inhabit brackish and coastal waters, including estuaries and salt marshes. The species is noted for its hardiness and ability to tolerate highly variable salinity, temperature fluctuations from 6 to 35 °C (43 to 95 °F), very low oxygen levels (down to 1 mg/L), and heavily polluted ecosystems. As a result, the mummichog is a popular research subject in embryological, physiological, and toxicological studies. It is also the first fish ever sent to space, aboard Skylab in 1973.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Mummichog”.