Farthest spitting fish

Native to river estuaries and mangroves in the Indo-Pacific and Australasian regions, archerfish (family Toxotidae) have evolved an ingenious method for catching non-aquatic prey: shooting a pellet of water from a tube-shaped mouth, they can dislodge unwitting insects sitting on plants overhanging the surface. Particularly proficient at this manoeuvre is the banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix), which has a maximum range of 2–3 metres (6 feet 6 inches–9 feet 10 inches). If the fish does miss its prey, it is able to attempt again in quick fire.

Using a visual acuity test that is used within the military, scientists in 2013 confirmed that archerfish have some of the sharpest vision among freshwater fish in order to help with their spit shooting accuracy. Their visual acuity is around double that of most other freshwater fish and more akin to that of marine mammals, such as seals and dolphins.