FIGHTING FRINGEHEADS: For these little fish, their jaws are the law!

Ranger Rick, Nov 1, 1998 by Elizabeth Schleichert

For these little fish, their jaws are the law!

The sarcastic fringehead is NOT your cute aquarium fish. It lives in coastal California waters. It fiercely defends its home, which could be an old burrow, a shell, or even a can or bottle.

If another fish, such as a rival fringehead, swims too close to its hiding place, whumph! The two lock their mouths and seem to jaw wrestle.

Now the two really tussle. They push and shove until one--usually the invader--backs off. Though the fringeheads are only about 9 to 12 inches (23-31 cm) long, their jaws surely are the meanest, most monster-like in the sea. These fish have an attitude to match their mouths. They could easily star in a remake of the famous shark movie--only this one would be called, Jaws: The True Story!

"Hey, don't even THINK about comin' over here!"

"There, take that . . . and THAT!"

"Grunt, pant, arghh, ouch!"