The American paddlefish

The paddlefish (*Polyodon spathula*), also known as the American paddlefish, has a unique rostrum that serves as a plankton detector and navigator. This nose, which is an elongated front skull bone, is covered with microscopic electroreceptors that help detect accumulations of plankton in the turbid waters of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. During feeding, the paddlefish swims with an open mouth, expanding the gill apparatus to effectively filter plankton. Young individuals have many small teeth, which is reflected in the name "Polyodon", meaning "many-toothed". In the Primorsky Aquarium, the paddlefish is presented in the "Rivers and Lakes" exposition.