There are a number of fish that are less adept at actual walking, such as the walking catfish. This means that it is easily observed by beachgoers in its natural range. If it finds itself out of water, it can survive for several hours, and is capable of walking over land to get to water. It lives in areas of great variation in water depth, usually where the tide falls below its location. The epaulette shark ( Hemiscyllium ocellatum) tends to live in shallow waters where swimming is difficult, and can often be seen walking over rocks and sand by using its muscular pectoral fins. Some reports indicate that it can also climb trees. The climbing gourami is often specifically referred to as a 'walking fish', although it does not actually 'walk', but rather moves in a jerky way by supporting itself on the extended edges of its gill plates and pushing itself by its fins and tail. The mudskippers are probably the best land-adapted of contemporary fish and are able to spend days moving about out of water and can even climb mangroves, although to only modest heights. Able to spend longer times out of water, these fish may use a number of means of locomotion, including springing, snake-like lateral undulation, and tripod-like walking. Most commonly, walking fish are amphibious fish. Types Pacific leaping blenny ( Alticus arnoldorum) hopping Some other modes of non-standard fish locomotion include 'walking' along the sea floor, for example, in handfish or frogfish. Mudskippers are one type of walking fish.Ī walking fish, or ambulatory fish, is a fish that is able to travel over land for extended periods of time. Fish species with the ability to travel over land for extended period of time Periophthalmus gracilis, a species of mudskipper, perched on land.

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