Ammodytes Ammodytoides Bleekeria Gymnammodytes Hyperoplus Lepidammodytes Protammodytes See text for species.

A sand lance or sandlance is a fish belonging to the family Ammodytidae. Several species of sand lance are commonly known as "sand eels" or "sandeels", though they are not related to true eels. Another variant name is launce, and all names of the fish are references to its slender body and pointed snout. The family name (and genus name, Ammodytes) means "sand burrower", which describes the sand lance's habit of burrowing into sand to avoid tidal currents.

Sand lances are most commonly encountered by fishermen in the North Pacific and North Atlantic, but are found in oceans throughout the world. These fish do not have pelvic fins and do not develop a swim bladder, staying true to their bottom-dwelling habit as adults. Both adult and larval sea lances primarily feed on copepods. Larval forms of this fish are perhaps the most abundant of all fish larvae in areas such as the northwest Atlantic, serving as a major food item for cod, salmon, and other commercially important species. As adults, sand lances are harvested commercially in some areas (primarily in Europe), leading to direct human competition with diving birds such as puffins, auks, and cormorants. Some species are inshore coastal dwellers, and digging for sand lances to use as a bait fish has been a popular pastime in coastal areas of Europe and North America. Other species are deep-water dwellers, some of which have only recently been described to science, and most of which lack common names. Sand lances have chameleon-like independent eye movements.

From Wikipedia under the GNU Free Documentation License
Mon May 10 16:01:14 2010

Meeting Reminder & Photo - 6/16/08
illaheecommunity.blogspot.com
Meeting Reminder & Photo - 6/16/08

Illahee Community

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:36:00 GM

We have attached another photo taken during a second dip of the net that shows a small pink salmon, but also a small translucent . sand lance. fry. . Sand lance. are also known locally as "candlefish" likely due to their slender shape. ...

From Google Blog Search: "sandlance"
Wed Sep 8 16:05:46 2010

Workman trapped by sand fall - St Helens Today
news.google.com
Workman trapped by sand fall

St Helens Today

Fire crews were called out to College Street at 5.30am on Monday (December 21) after a 37-year-old man got both legs trapped while using a steam sand lance ...
Man wounded after burying himself under sand in St Helens - Liverpool Echo
news.google.com
Man wounded after burying himself under sand in St Helens

Liverpool Echo

He was using a steam sand lance which injured his legs when the pile of sand collapsed on top of him in College Street, St Helens. Fire fighters used their ...



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From Google News Search: "sandlance"
Fri Jan 15 05:38:15 2010

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marine.fks.ed.jp
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Many sandlance are got

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dfo-mpo.gc.ca
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on or fall to the bottom where they stick to sand grains The ovary forms a large part of the total weight of the ripe female and each fish lays many thousands of eggs On hatching the larvae rise to surface waters where they remain for a few weeks providing an important food source for predators When they are a few centimeters long they

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9 Use press on eyes but with mono thread apply a criss cross of thread OVER the eyes Then coat eyes with soft body You can also dip the head in epoxy and put on a fly wheel to dry 10 Finished fly ~ JC

From Yahoo Image Search: "sandlance"
Tue May 18 12:41:55 2010