Fish Lab Exam Flashcards
Function of fins
a) Caudle
b) Anal
c) Pelvic
d) Pectoral
e) Dorsal
a) Caudle: Thrust to project fish through water
b) Anal: Prevent roll
c) Pelvic: Prevent pitch
d) Pectoral: Prevent pitch and yaw
e) Dorsal: Prevent roll
Heterocercal
Caudle fin with top lobe longer than bottom (ex. sharks and sturgeon)
Hetero: not the same
Homocercal
Caudle fin with both lobes being the same length (ex. trout and bass
Homo: the same
Diphycercal
Spear shaped caudle fin (ex. eel)
Lunate
Crescent moon shaped tail (ex. tuna)
Fusiform
Fish with bullet shape (ex. tuna), made for speed, open water fishes, circular cross section
Compressed
Fish with flattened shape from side to side (ex. tropical fish)
Large eyes, do not always move, but move very fast when need be
Depressed
Fish with flattened shape from top to bottom (ex. flounder)
Bottom dwellers
Eel-like
Circular cross section, lack pelvic fins
Ribbon-like
Compressed laterally (ex. prickleback)
Arrow-like
Long fragile beak, arrow like body (ex. pike, needlefish)
Lower jaw
Lingual teeth (tongue)
Mandibular (mandible)
Basibranchial (center)
Gill arches
Upper jaw
Premaxillary (in front of maxillary) Maxillary (after premaxillary) Vomer head (center bone, tip) Vomer (center bone attached to head) Palatine (diagonally branch off vomer bone)
Ganoid scales
Small blocks (ex. sturgeon)
Placoid scales
Pointed “triangles” (ex. sharks)
Cycloid scales
Most rounded (ex. salmon)
Ctenoid scales
Rounded squares (ex. bass)
Swim bladder
Maintain position in water column (buoyancy)
Sound reception and generation
Lateral line
Sensory organ
- avoid collision,
- orientate themselves in water column with currents
- predation