description=The paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) is a unique American freshwater species that grows up to six feet in length. It uses its long paddle to dig in the mud of rivers such as the Mississippi. The paddle may also be used to sense electrical fields. The paddlefish is a primitive species, containing cartilage rather than bone, and considered to be closely related to sharks. ìÄìÄLocation: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Marine Vertebrate Collection. ìÄ
