The Tiniest Fish in the World 世界最小的鱼
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2006年5月19日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2011年10月20日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：419
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课文讲解
Biologists have recently come across a new species of fish. Their find provides yet another example of our planet’s amazing diversity of life. The Paedocypris progenetica, a member of the carp family, was discovered in a forest swamp on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Its most remarkable characteristic is its size. A full-grown female fish is a mere 7.9 millimeters. This makes it not only the world’s smallest fish, but also the smallest vertebrate on earth.
生物学家最近偶然发现一新鱼种。他们的发现为地球令人惊讶的多样物种又提供了另一个实例。鲤鱼科的Paedocypris progenetica 是在印度尼西亚苏门答腊岛上的一处森林沼泽被发现。牠最值得注意的特征是其大小，一尾完全成熟的雌鱼仅有7.9厘长。这不只使牠成为世上最小的鱼，同时也是地球上最小的脊椎动物。
It may be difficult to appreciate such a tiny fish at first glance. Viewing them under a magnifying glass, however, reveals their fascinating characteristics. The Paedocypris fish resemble larvae with a reduced head skeleton that leaves the brain unprotected. Their bodies are almost entirely transparent. Any coloration is due to the contents of their stomach, not the fish themselves. Also amazing are the male fish’s unique pelvic fins, which are used for grasping.
在惊鸿一瞥之下或许很难欣赏这么微小的鱼类。然而，从放大镜底下观察，牠们就显现了迷人的特征。Paedocypris长得很像幼虫，发育不全的头骨使得脑部缺少保护。牠们的身躯几乎完全透明。有任何色彩都是因为胃容物所造成，而非牠们本身的颜色。同样令人吃惊的是，雄鱼独特的腹鳍是用来抓握。
The tea-colored swamp waters where the tiny fish were found are nearly as acidic as vinegar. Their habitat may look like an unfriendly environment, but the Paedocypris fish seem to thrive in it. Unfortunately, their habitat is threatened by fires, logging, and land development. Fearing their extinction, scientists are eager to learn as much as possible about the earth’s tiniest fish.
小鱼被发现的茶色沼泽水差不多就像醋一样酸。牠们的栖地看来或许像是个不利的环境，但Paedocypris鱼群似乎在里头茁壮生长。不幸的是，牠们的栖地受到火灾、伐木和土地开发所威胁。担心牠们将会绝种，科学家急于尽可能了解地球上最小的鱼。
−by Amy Lovestrand
Vocabulary
单词发音
diversity [daɪˋvɝsətɪ] n. 多样性
transparent [trænsˋpɛrənt] adj. 透明的
habitat [ˈhæbɪˌtæt] n. 栖息地
extinction [ɪkˋstɪŋkʃən] n. 灭绝；消灭
More Information
单词发音
come across 偶然碰见 to meet or find by chance
carp [kɑrp] n. 鲤鱼
Sumatra [sʊˋmɑtrə] n. 苏门答腊岛（在印尼西部）
full-grown [fʊlˋgron] adj. 发育完全的，成熟的
vertebrate [ˋvɝtə͵bret] n. 脊椎动物
at first glance 乍看之下 when first looked at
reveal [rɪˋvil] v. 展现，显露出
larva [ˋlɑrvə] n. 幼虫；幼体(名复: larvae, larvas)
pelvic fin 腹鳍
pelvic [ˋpɛlvɪk] adj. 骨盆的
grasp [græsp] v. & n. 抓牢；握紧
acidic [əˋsɪdɪk] adj. 含酸的﹐酸性的
vinegar [ˋvɪnɪgɚ] n. 醋
logging [ˋlɔgɪŋ] n. 伐木
magnifying [ˋmægnə͵faɪɪŋ] glass 放大镜