fishthat

Fishthat is a fictional genus of freshwater fish created for educational simulations and wiki exercises to illustrate taxonomy, ecology, and conservation concepts. It is not a real taxon, but it is used in classrooms and open-wikis to demonstrate how biological classification and species concepts work. The name “fishthat” serves as a placeholder in examples of binomial nomenclature, and the epithet “auratus” is Latin for “golden.”

In the imagined taxonomy, fishthat belongs to the kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Actinopterygii, order Perciformes, family Fictiidae, genus Fishthat, with the single described species Fishthat auratus.

Physical description and habitat: Adults measure about 5–12 cm in length. The body is slender and laterally compressed, typically with a silver base coloration and a distinctive dark lateral stripe. Fins are translucent with a pale yellow edge. The species inhabits tropical to subtropical river basins, in freshwater to brackish environments up to 10 parts per thousand, often among vegetation, leaf litter, and shallow streams.

Ecology and behavior: Fishthat auratus is omnivorous, feeding on small invertebrates and algae. It forms loose schools in open water but becomes territorial during breeding. Reproduction occurs seasonally; eggs are adhesive and laid among vegetation, with paternal care described in some simulations.

Conservation and use: In the fictional context, there is no real IUCN assessment. The creature is used in teaching materials to demonstrate habitat preferences, life history strategies, and the effects of habitat alteration on small freshwater fish.