The catfish has over ______ taste buds

Catfish have over 27,000 taste buds distributed all over their bodies, with particularly high concentrations on their barbels (whiskers) and fins. This extraordinary number of taste receptors - far more than humans' 10,000 - helps them locate food in murky water where visibility is poor. Their entire body essentially acts as a giant tongue, allowing them to detect food particles from considerable distances.