The dwarf gravel loach Cobitis shikokuensis is a very small freshwater fish up to 6 centimeters long. It lives on the bottom of clean streams on Shikoku Island in Japan and hides in gravel.
This species differs from other loaches by its very small size and strict attachment to clean streams with gravel bottoms. It helps the ecosystem by processing detritus and serving as food for larger animals.
Locomotion through water employed while searching for or capturing prey.
Legendary longevity: over 100 years. Galapagos tortoises, Greenland sharks, ocean quahogs celebrate with family once every 4 years
Immature form that undergoes metamorphosis before adulthood.
Offspring
Worker
Elders
Bro
birth time
Describes the act of excavating soil or substrate to locate or access food.
bottom
Taxons
if born as {name}
Dogs, dolphins, lynx hang out for 9-25 years and party on their birthday three times a year
m
Map
will celebrate their {n} birthday
omnivore
g
age
t
When your next jubilee falls in {name} life years
Human
birth date
swimming
Palearctic realm
Close
detritus, eat dead remains of plants, animals and all kinds of organic debris on the bottom
was
days
Barbels count
Career from 7 to 15 months. Dwarf hamsters, voles, field crickets celebrate their birthday twice a month
worms
The basics
How old you would be if you lived as {name}
Theoretical maximum lifespan estimated from the Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) mathematical model. This value reflects a biological potential derived from metabolic parameters, not from direct observation — real recorded lifespans are often significantly shorter.
My weight?
Non-stop carnival: they only live a few days. Mayflies, rotifers, midges celebrate their birthday more than twice a day
whiskers
Captures food by straining water or substrate through specialized structures.
adult
Maturity
organic debris
3 to 8 grams, 0.5 – 5 centimeters
primary food sources
burrow
Potential Habitat
About health
When your next birthday would fall if you lived as {name}
d
In husbandry
On the go from 1.3 to 3.5 years. Forest mice, anoles, rainbow fish party on their birthday once a month
Feeding occurs in water bodies such as rivers, lakes, or oceans.
Repro interval
results
Mass
Mosquitoes, fruit flies, small crustaceans hustle for up to 7 months and throw a birthday party every week
terrestrial
aquatic
Colors
Sex
{name} birthday
Upcoming jubilees
live annelid worms
Gremllins
mo
Uses an excavated underground tunnel or chamber for refuge or nesting.
No results found
Trophic type
Filters
Yolk sac size
On the map
small crustaceans
all life stages
Female ♀
Palearctic realm
Body color
Upcoming birthdays
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0
Potential habitat modelled from GBIF occurrence data. Map © Zveriki.com, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Truly long lives: 40-100 years. Bowhead whales, albatrosses, giant tortoises recall their birthday at most once a year
Lifespan
Sweeps open mouth through water to scoop up fish or invertebrates.
birth year
Maturity
insect larvae and caterpillars
Age (from birth to death)
sq mm
yr
Foraging occurs on the floor of aquatic or terrestrial habitats.
most of Europe and Asia, various forests, steppes and tundra
Wanderers
How similar?
Jubilee = every 10th birthday
Male ♂
until the celebration
age as {name}
How do they breed?
On the go from 3.5 to 6 years. Hedgehogs, crows, lizards treat themselves to birthday snacks 6 times a year
What if eaten?
Neither
Earliest developmental stage inside an egg or womb.
Business sausages
Lifespan average
What do they eat?
insect larvae
Where do they live?
early young
What do they look like?
Maturity
emergence (insects)
end of lifespan
Freshwater
How do they live?
fertilization / egg laying
How do they behave?
birth / hatching
metamorphosis / end of larval stage
Temperate mixed forest
end of acceleration
Share
Duration
Find a pet...
Mature, fully developed individual capable of reproduction.
filter feeding
Fins color
Freshwater
scooping
This is me
most of Europe and Asia, various forests, steppes and tundra
stream
freshwater
digging
Gamers
Pets
How are they built?
all rivers and lakes
Primary oral structure used to seize, manipulate, or ingest food.
mm
Theoretical lifespan
ml
Stars
Link copied
My age?
wk
My size?
Feeding occurs primarily on land or in vegetation.
lateral line
{name} jubilee
Asexual
swap
freshwater environment — rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps
cm
Old-timers
Find an animal or breed...
mouth
turns
Rabbits, falcons, red-eared turtles hang out for 6-9 years and party on their birthday four times a year
Rascals
Where do they take shelter?
Warm summer and lots of rain
Sensory system detecting water movements to locate prey.
celebrated their {n} birthday
When you would have been born if you lived as {name}
Litter size
Subocular spine size
Daddies
small crabs, amphipods and other crustaceans
Lifespan maximum
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0
How to care for them?
Barbels size
Living from 25 to 40 years. Orangutans, bald eagles, African elephants celebrate their birthday twice a year
foraging
°C
Not specified
Berry
Hermaphrodite ⚥
Actively searching habitats to locate food items.
Where are they found?
embryo
all rivers and lakes
summer warm, many oaks, birches, maples
Length
kg
lots of rain, warm and pleasant summer
Observations
◉{N} more on tap