Quick Take
- There are two extant species of bowfin: Amia calva and the recently confirmed Amia ocellicauda, both found in North American freshwater systems.
- Bowfins can breathe air, which helps them endure poor water conditions.
- Bowfin have powerful jaws with multiple rows of sharp teeth.
The ruddy bowfin (Amia calva) and the emerald bowfin (Amia ocellicauda) are unique, predatory freshwater fish. Bowfins are native to Eastern North America, where they are found in swamps, backwaters, and sluggish streams in the Mississippi River Basin and Atlantic Coastal Plain. Called living fossils due to their ancient lineage, the bowfin is capable of breathing both air and water. These fish are opportunistic predators that eat other fish, crustaceans, amphibians, aquatic insects, and even small rodents. Bowfins are ambush predators that move into shallow water at night to feed, using powerful suction to capture their prey, which is grasped by the bowfin’s teeth once it has been drawn into the mouth by the suction action. Continue reading to discover more about bowfin teeth and how they use them.
Bowfin Teeth
Also called mudfish, cypress trout, grinnel, and dogfish, bowfins are powerful fish.
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Bowfins can grow from 15 to 28 inches long, with a proportionally large mouth. The bowfin is a carnivorous fish with a large mouth containing strong, sharp teeth, allowing it to devour and swallow prey that is sometimes larger than its own mouth.
The ruddy bowfin does not have a fixed number of teeth, but it has many sharp, canine-like teeth on its palate and jaws. These include multiple rows of teeth embedded in the dentary bone, as well as pharyngeal (throat) teeth used for grinding.
The rows of sharp teeth point backward, ensuring that once the bowfin has prey in its mouth, the prey is directed down the throat, where the pharyngeal teeth take over.
Bowfins use their pharyngeal teeth to firmly grip and process prey after it has been caught by their powerful jaws. These throat teeth prevent prey from escaping and aid in swallowing, acting as a secondary set of jaws inside the mouth.
How Do Bowfin Hunt?
Bowfin can close their mouths in less than one-tenth of a second.
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Although they can be active around dusk and dawn, bowfins are primarily nocturnal ambush predators that hunt in shallow water at night. During the day, bowfins hide among submerged logs and plants, lurking in the deeper, vegetated waters of swamps, lakes, and rivers. These fish will surface for air when the oxygen levels in the water are too low, especially in muddy, stagnant, or warm areas.
The Bowfin Bite
Bowfins are not aggressive, but anglers should still exercise caution around their sharp teeth.
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Bowfins are ferocious predators that chase and devour anything that moves in their path. Though their sharp, canine-like teeth are capable of causing cuts or puncture wounds to human skin, there are no documented cases of bowfins causing severe wounds to humans.
However, anglers must take significant precautions when handling bowfins. When dehooking a bowfin, gloves and strong pliers are recommended to reduce the risk of serious bites or cuts. The bowfin’s sharp teeth can also potentially cut the fishing line. Proper gear is crucial to the safe handling and release of these powerful fish.
