Basic Fish Anatomy Flashcards
What does fusiform external anatomy mean?
Torpedo shaped
What does globiform external anatomy mean?
Round shaped
What does depressiform external anatomy mean?
Dorsoventrally flattened
What does compressiform external anatomy mean?
Laterally flattened
What does sagittiform external anatomy mean?
Elongated
What does anguiliform external anatomy mean?
Eel shaped
Is fish skin keratinized?
It has minimal keratinization
What specialized cells are in the epidermis?
Mucous secreting cells to produce protective mucous layer
What is abundant in the dermis?
Rich in vessels and fibrous connective
tissue to provide structural support
What are chromatophores?
Melanophores, lipophores, erythropores.
(most chromatophores contain pigments that absorb specific wavelengths of light - google)
they let fishies change color!
What are iridophores?
Guanophores.
(function as multilayer reflectors - google)
What are the four principal types of fish scales?
- Cycloid
- Ctenoid
- Placoid
- Ganoid
Describe cycloid scales.
Small oval shaped scales with growth rings
Describe ctenoid scales.
Small oval scales with growth rings and spines (ctenii) at one edge.
Describe fish muscles.
Muscles of fish are layered rather than bundled as in other vertebrates.
Each “layer” is a myotome that is separated by sheet of connective tissue (myosepta).