The fish that can taste with its whole body, because taste buds are distributed over its skin and barbels, is which of the following?

Introduction / Context:
Sensory specialisations in animals can be surprising and very different from human senses. Some fishes, for example, have taste receptors not only in their mouths but also on their skin and fins. A favourite general knowledge fact is about a particular fish that is said to taste with its entire body because of the widespread distribution of taste buds. This question asks you to identify which fish has this remarkable ability according to standard GK sources.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The feature described is the ability to taste with the whole body.
• The options are Goldfish, Catfish, Shark, and Tuna.
• We assume a basic understanding of common freshwater and marine fish names.
• We also assume awareness of one widely quoted example of extreme taste bud distribution.

Concept / Approach:
Catfish are well known for having a very large number of taste buds distributed over their skin, fins, and especially their barbels, which look like whiskers. This gives them the ability to detect chemical cues in the water and to locate food even in murky environments. For this reason, general knowledge books often state that the fish that can taste with its whole body is the catfish. Goldfish, sharks, and tuna have normal taste organs but are not described in this extreme way. Therefore, the approach is to link the whole body taste fact with catfish.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that catfish are bottom dwelling fishes that often live in muddy or low visibility waters and rely heavily on chemical senses. Step 2: Remember reading that catfish possess tens of thousands of taste buds over their skin and barbels, allowing them to taste substances in the water with much of their body surface. Step 3: Compare this with goldfish, which are common aquarium fishes but are not singled out for such extreme taste distribution. Step 4: Note that sharks and tuna are fast swimming predators known more for smell, speed, and hunting ability than for having taste receptors all over the body. Step 5: Therefore, conclude that Catfish must be the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by recalling that many quiz books explicitly include a one line fact stating that the fish that can taste with its whole body is the catfish. Biology explanations emphasise that catfish may have up to many times more taste buds than humans and that these are not restricted to the mouth. No similar claim is attached to goldfish, sharks, or tuna in standard exam material. This strong and repeated association confirms catfish as the intended correct option.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Goldfish is wrong because, although it has normal taste and smell, it is not known for taste buds on the whole body. Shark is incorrect since sharks rely mainly on smell, lateral line sensation, and electroreception for detecting prey, not on taste receptors spread over the body. Tuna is also wrong; tuna are fast pelagic predators valued as food fish, but they are not associated with the whole body taste fact. Only catfish among the options fits the specific description in general knowledge books.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to guess shark or tuna simply because they are well known fishes and students may think any impressive sounding fact must belong to a famous species. Another mistake is to underestimate catfish because it is less glamorous than sharks or tuna. In objective exams, however, many interesting facts focus on less flashy but biologically unusual animals. Remembering that catfish is the special case for taste buds spread over the body helps avoid such misjudgments.

Final Answer:
The correct option is Catfish, because catfish have taste buds distributed over much of their skin and barbels, effectively allowing them to taste with their whole body surface.