Fish Practical Flashcards
Petromyzontiformes
Lampreys
No paired fins
Long dorsal fin continuous with caudal fin
No ventral fin anterior to anus
No barbels
7 pairs of gill openings
Larval form: ammocoetes
Myxiniformes
Hagfish** & **Slime hags
No paired fins
Ventral fin anterior to anus present
Barbels present
External gill slits ~14
Squaliformes
Sharks
Placoid scales
Heterocercal tail
Spiracle present
Rajiformes
Skates** & **Rays
Dorsoventrally flattened
Spiracle functions in respiration
Skates: thick tail; Rays: whiplike tail
Males have claspers
Chimaeriformes
Chimaeras** or **Ratfish**, **Rabbitfish
Beaklike jaw/tooth plates
Tail long and thin
Locomation by large pectoral fins
Single external gill opening with opercular flap
Ugly
Amocoetes larva
Lampreys
Dipnoi
Lungfish
Paired fins
Diphycercal tail
Polypteriformes
Bichirs** & **Reed fish
Dorsal finlets; fleshy base to pectoral fin
Ganoid scales: tough, heavy
Polyodontidae
Paddlefish
Elongated & flattened rostrum (nose), 1/3 length
Skin essentially naked (i.e., no scales) except at caudal peduncle
Acipenseridae
Stergeon
Bony plate along sides as “armor”
Barbels present
Heterocercal tail
Ducklike snout
Source of caviar
Lepisosteidae
Gars** or **Garpikes
Ganoid scales
Elongate cylindrical body; elongate snout
Anal & dorsal fins well back on body
Sit & wait predators
Amiidae
Bowfin
Cycloid scales
“Eye spot” on caudal fin; asymmetric
Long dorsal fin
Anguillidae
Common eels
Has pectoral fins (lamphrey & hagfish do not)
Pelvic fins absent; snake-like form
Scales minute & imbedded
Clupeiformes
Herring**, **shad**, **menhadden**, **alewives
Body latterally compressed; forked tail; head lack scales; no adipose fin
Ventral scales keeled, giving “sawtooth fringe”
Salmonidae
Salmon**, **trout**, **whitefish
Adipose fin; forked tail
Pelvic fins with axillary process
No barbels
Osmeridae
Smelt
Adipose fin; forked tail
Pelvic fins without axillary process
No barbels
Slender; silvery
Esocidae
Pike**, **pickerel**, **muskie
Long cylindrical body
Single, soft dorsal & anal fin well back on body
Prominent ducklike jaw; numerous teeth
No adipose fin
Catosomidae
Suckers
Soft-rayed
Modified anal fin
Mouth sucker-like, upward
Thick lips
Cyprinidae
Minnows, Carp, Goldfish
Soft-rayed
Mouth not sucker-like, downward
Thin-lips
No adipose fin
Ictaluridae
Catfish
Adipose fin present
Head broad, flat
Barbels obvious
Without scales
Websterian apparatus (ear bone)
Exocetidae
Flying fish
Pectoral fins large
Lateral line (hairs to detect current) low on body
Cyprinodontidae
Killfish
Ovoparous, lay eggs
Mouth, upward
Poeciliidae
Mollies, Guppies, Swordtails, Mosquitofish
Viviparous, live birth
Males, gonopodium for copulation
Gadidae
Cod, Haddock, Pollock
1 Barbel, chin
3 Dorsal fins
Gasterosteiformes
Sticklebacks
3-16 spines anterior to dorsal fin
Mouth, upward
Pelvic fin w/ 1 spine
Caudal peduncle, narrow
Syngnathidae
Seahorse**, **pipefish
Boney plates, lack scales
Pipefish are elongate
Tail grasping
Centrarchidae
Sunfish**, **bass
Dorsal fin, 5-13 spines
Joined, spinous anterior/soft posterior fins
Body, laterally compressed
Percidae
Perch**, **darters
Separate, spinous anterior/soft posterior fins
Scombridae
Mackerel**, **tuna
2 dorsal fins
Finlets, posterior to dorsal & anal fins
Deeply forked tail
Cycloid scales
Cottidae
Sculpins
2 dorsal fins
Body, broad
Head, flattened
Pectoral fins, large
Eyes, close together on top of head
Suborbital stay sheek spikes
Tetraodontiformes
Puffers
Teeth, fused into beak
Body, globular to triangular
Pleuronectidae
Right-eyed flounder
Eyes, right-sided
Dorsal & anal fins far from caudal
Solidae
Sole
Eyes, right-sided
Dorsal & anal fins close to caudal
Bothidae
Left-eyed flounder
Eyes, left-sided
Lophiformes
Goosefish**, **anglers
First ray of dorsal fin modified into illiculum/esca:line/bait
Ctenoid scale
Cycloid scale
Ganoid**, **rhombic scale
Placoid scale
