fbpx

KidsKonnect

Barracuda Facts & Worksheets

A Barracuda is a ray-finned fish popular for its long, snake-like body, sharp-edged teeth, and prominent jaw.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Science /Animals /Fish /Barracuda Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Barracuda Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

A Barracuda is a ray-finned fish popular for its long, snake-like body, sharp-edged teeth, and prominent jaw. It inhabits different oceans, but found commonly on coastal habitats. It is a carnivorous fish that is feared not only by smaller fishes, but also humans. A barracuda’s appearance varies based on species.

See the fact file below for more information on the Barracuda or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Barracuda worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Etymology

  • The word “Barracuda” was derived from the Spanish word “barraco” meaning “overlapping tooth”.
  • It belongs to the genus Sphyraena.

Physical Characteristics

  • Barracuda is physically classified as a ray-finned fish.
  • It is a predaceous fish that resembles a snake in its form.
  • Similar to a piranha, its fang-liked, sharp-edged teeth are one of its prominent features.
  • Its teeth are set inside sockets on their jaw.
  • The body is covered with small scales.
  • Two dorsal fins are widely-separated across its body.
  • The anterior fin of a Barracuda has five spines.
  • Its posterior fin is the only one with nine soft rays.
  • Commonly, a Barracuda’s upper body is colored dark-gray, dark green, white, or blue.
  • Its side has a silvery tint and the belly could be described as a chalky-white color.
  • A Barracuda’s coloration may vary from one species to another.
  • Irregular or unorganized spots, marks, and cross-bars on the side of Barracuda’s body may occur.
  • In terms of a Barracuda’s size, some species can grow up to 65 inches or 165 cm in length.
  • Notable examples of large Barracudas are the Sphyraena sphyraena, found in the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic; and the Sphyraena picudilla, habitating the Atlantic coast of tropical America, from North Carolina to Brazil and reaching Bermuda.
  • While Barracudas may differ from colour and species, their common features are the elongated form, pointed head, strong jaw, and row of sharp-edged teeth.

Habitat and Behavior

  • While Barracudas are found widely in the Earth’s oceans, they are more frequently found in tropical regions due to their rich biodiversity, hence the abundance of food.
  • Barracudas could be found in deep oceans yet they seem to prefer coastal habitats near coral reefs and along continental shelves.
  • The Barracuda is notoriously known for being a dominant and aggressive predator.
  • Hunting for fish up to its own size, the Barracuda uses its surprise tactics to hunt-down prey.
  • Barracudas can swim in fast, in short-bursts with a speed up to 40 km/h.
  • A Barracuda’s predacious behavior is considered opportunistic.
  • While using surprise-tactics or ambush, it usually preys on smaller species of fish, such as jacks, grunts, groupers, snappers, small tunas, mullets, killifishes, herrings, and anchovies.
  • Barracudas also prey on marine invertebrates, squid, and crustaceans like shrimp, krill, and small crabs.
  • Since it is known that Barracudas can grow into large sizes, its predators are considerably few, and include whales, sharks, and humans.
  • While it is still not clear how Barracudas mate and reproduce, female barracudas are observed to spawn during the spring.
  • The female Barracuda then releases eggs into the ocean water.
  • The egg by then would be fertilised externally.
  • Many species of barracuda have no interest in caring for their offspring after spawning.

Harm from-and-to Humans?

  • The Barracuda is hunted down by humans for food, and it is also popular as a game fish.
  • In West Africa, it is commonly smoked and partnered with soups and sauces.
  • Often compared to sharks, barracudas obtained a bad reputation from swimmers, divers, and other marine explorers due to the numerous barracuda attacks being reported.
  • Since barracudas are known opportunistic scavengers, they might mistake a swimmer or a diver for large prey.
  • One incident occurred when a barracuda jumped out of water to attack a kayaker.
  • The conservation director of the International Game Fish Association said that the wound could have been caused by a houndfish.
  • If snorkelers wear diving gear that reflects light underwater, the chances of a barracuda attack might be higher.
  • Barracudas also mistake underwater objects that glint and shine for prey.
  • Some Barracudas found in the Caribbean may cause poisoning when ingested.
  • Ciguatera is a common type of fish poisoning prominent in parts of the Caribbean, although the conditions which cause the fishes to be toxic in the Caribbean waters is still unclear or unknown.
  • The symptoms of Ciguatera poisoning may be developed and felt immediately after eating or 30 hours after consumption.
  • Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, numbness, muscle pain, and general itchiness.
  • Death is also a possibility, which is caused by respiratory paralysis.

Barracuda Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Barracuda across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Barracuda worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Barracuda which is a ray-finned fish popular for its long, snake-like body, sharp-edged teeth, and prominent jaw. It inhabits different oceans, but found commonly on coastal habitats. It is a carnivorous fish that is feared not only by smaller fishes, but also humans. A barracuda’s appearance varies based on species.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Barracuda Facts
  • The Best Bait
  • Forming Words
  • Missing Parts
  • Coastal Collage
  • Barracuda Blanks
  • A Barracuda’s Diet
  • Fish Sampling
  • Barracuda Behavior
  • Humans & Barracudas
  • The Aggressive Barracuda

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Barracuda Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, March 25, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources