GUATEMALA CITY(Reuters)— A fish that lives in mangrove swamps(红树沼泽)across the Americas can live out of water for months at a time, similar to how animals adapted(适应)to land millions of years ago, a new study shows.
The Mangrove Rivulus, a type of small killifish, lives in small pools of water in a certain type of empty nut or even old beer cans in the mangrove swamps of Belize, the United States and Brazil. When their living place dries up, they live on the land in logs(圆木), said Scott Taylor, a researcher at the Brevard Endangered Lands Program in Florida.
The fish, whose scientific name is Rivulus marmoratus, can grow as large as three inches. They group together in logs and breathe air through their skin until they can find water again.
The new scientific discovery came after a trip to Belize.
“We kicked over a log and the fish just came crowding out.” Taylor told Reuters in neighboring Guatemala by telephone. He said he will make his study on the fish known to the public in an American magazine early next year.
In lab tests, Taylor said he found the fish can live up to 66 days out of water without eating.
Some other fish can live out of water for a short period of time. The walking catfish found in Southeast Asia can stay on land for hours at a time, while lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can live out of water, but only in an inactive state. But no other known fish can be out of water as long as the Mangrove Rivulus and remain active, according to Patricia Wright, a biologist at Canada’s University of Guelph.
Further studies of the fish may tell how animals changed over time.
“These animals live in conditions similar to those that existed millions of years ago, when animals began making the transition(过渡)from water onto land,” Wright said.
【小题1】The Mangrove Rivulus is a type of fish that .A．like eating nutsB．prefers living in dry placesC．is the longest living fish on earthD．can stay alive for two months out of water【小题2】Who will write up a report on Mangrove Rivulus?A．Patricia WrightB．Researchers in GuatemalaC．Scientists from Belize D．Scott Taylor【小题3】According to the text, lungfish can .A．breathe through its skinB．move freely on dry landC．remain alive out of waterD．be as active on land as in waster【小题4】What can we say about the discovery of Mangrove Rivulus?A．It was made quite by accidentB．It was based on a lab test of sea lifeC．It was supported by an American magazineD．It was helped by Patricia WrightD
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(答案→)D
解析：文章介绍了一种离开水仍然能活下来的鱼。
【小题1】细节题。根据第一段第一句A fish that lives in mangrove swamps(红树沼泽)across the Americas can live out of water for months at a time可知这种鱼可以离开水活两个月。
【小题2】细节题。根据第五段第2行He said he will make his study on the fish known to the public in an American magazine early next year.可知Scott Taylor将会给Mangrove Rivulus写报告。
【小题3】细节题，根据倒数第2段第3,4行lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can live out of water, but only in an inactive state可知C正确、
【小题4】推理题。根据第五段第一行“We kicked over a log and the fish just came crowding out.”可知人们是无意中发现这种鱼的。