Ammodytes

/əˈmɒdɪtiːz/ noun

Definition

The genus name for sand eels, a group of small, slender fish that live buried in sand on ocean floors around the world.

Etymology

From Greek 'ammia' (sand) and 'dytes' (diver); this is the formal scientific genus name established in the 18th century for these creatures.

Kelly Says

Ammodytes are a keystone food source for whales, seabirds, and larger fish—entire ocean ecosystems depend on these humble sand-burrowing fish that most people never notice.

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