How do pikes use their body shape, jaws, teeth, and vision to catch prey?

The pike is a highly specialized predator whose morphology is entirely adapted for capturing and consuming other fish.1

• Body Shape: Pikes possess an elongated body with fins positioned posteriorly—specifically, the dorsal fin is placed over the anal fin. This specialized form allows for the swift, darting movements necessary to lunge at prey from a stationary position.12
• Jaws and Teeth: They feature a large head with powerful jaws and a shovel-like snout. The mouth is equipped with large, caninelike teeth designed to handle and secure substantial prey. Additionally, patches of teeth located on the gill arches replace typical gill rakers to assist in consumption.12
• Vision: Vision is the primary sense used by pikes to detect prey. Their eyes contain a high proportion of cones and are positioned to provide partial binocular vision. By sighting down grooves on their snout, pikes can accurately aim at moving targets. This reliance on sight is reflected in their brain anatomy, where the optic lobes are more highly developed than the olfactory lobes.1