overtaken by the faster trailing water, and it is varied by the fish to account for differences in range. It also makes this one of the few animals that both make and use tools, as they both utilise the water and shape it to make it more useful to them. They are persistent and will make multiple shots if the first one fails. Young archerfish start shooting when they are about long but are inaccurate at first and must learn from experience. During this learning period, they hunt in small schools. This way, the probability is enhanced that at least one jet will hit its target. A 2006 experimental study found that archerfish appear to benefit from observational learning by watching a performing group member shoot, without having to practice: However, little of their social behaviour is currently known beyond that archerfish are sensitive to, and make changes to their shooting behaviour, when conspecifics are visible to them. This is probably as a result of the potential threat of kleptoparasitism that other archerfish represent to a shooting fish. An archerfish will often leap out of the water and grab an insect in its mouth if it happens to be within reach. Individuals typically prefer to remain close to the surface of the water. New research has found that archerfish also use jets to hunt underwater prey, such as those embedded in silt. It is not known whether they learned aerial or underwater shooting first, but the two techniques may have evolved in parallel, as improvements in one can be adapted to the other. Species There are 9 valid species, 8 in the genus Toxotes: Protoxotes lorentzi Weber, 1910 - primitive archerfish Toxotes blythii Boulenger, 1892 - clouded archerfish, zebra archerfish Toxotes carpentariensis, Castelnau, 1878 Toxotes chatareus (Hamilton, 1822) - largescale archerfish, common archerfish Toxotes jaculatrix (Pallas, 1767) - banded archerfish Toxotes kimberleyensis Allen, 2004 - Kimberley archerfish, western archerfish Toxotes microlepis Günther, 1860 - smallscale archerfish Toxotes oligolepis Bleeker, 1876 - big scale archerfish Toxotes sundaicus Kottelat & Tan, 2018 Timeline See also Projectile use by non-human organisms References External links Archerfish Shooting Various Insects Archerfish capturing prey Guide to the Mangroves of Singapore: Archerfish Information and Photos on Archerfish Archerfish Can Adjust Their Deadly Shots Based on the Size of the Prey – LiveScience.com Monogeneric fish families Articles containing video clips Taxa named by Georges Cuvier