A kayak ride through the back bays of Assateague Island might reveal more than floating leaves and marsh debris. Look closely, and one of those “leaves” might suddenly swim away!
Meet the juvenile Atlantic spadefish. Unlike their silver-colored adults with bold black vertical stripes, young spadefish often take on a dark, leaf-like appearance to blend in with floating sticks, reeds and vegetation. They can even drift sideways to better mimic debris in the water.
It’s a fascinating survival trick and another example of the incredible adaptations found in our coastal waters!
Source Maryland Coastal Bays Program