Lab #2 Groups Flashcards
Order Coelacanthiformes
marine deep water, Indonesia, East Africa
Body is covered with large, cosmoid scales
Eight fins, two dorsal, two pectoral, two pelvic, one anal and one caudal.
Three-lobed caudal fin
Large eyes, mouth is small
Order Polyteriformes (Bichir)
Confined to Africa freshwater
Body is elongate covered with large bonelike rhombic scales
Colour is variable (e.g., varies with species)
Caudal fin is symmetrical, dorsal fin composed of a long single series of finlets
Pectoral fins are lobed and covered with scales
Order Acipenseriformes (White Sturgeon)
Freshwater and marine North America
Heavily armored and shark-like in form, 38-48 bony plates along the midline
Overall grey body colour, light in colour ventrally, sides generally have white spots
Mouth is ventral and four whiskers (barbels) are present and are closer to the tip of the
snout than the mouth, snout is rounded in appearance
Enlarged first pectoral fin, dorsal fin is simple, large and situated posteriorly
Eyes are small
Order Acipenseriformes (Green Sturgeon)
Freshwater and marine North America
Heavily armored and shark-like in form, 23-30 bony plates along the midline
Overall greenish body colour, light in colour ventrally, dorsum and sides generally have
white spots
Similar to white sturgeon but 4 whiskers (barbels) are closer to the mouth than tip of
snout
Snout is distinctly narrow in appearance
Enlarged first pectoral fin, dorsal fin is simple, large and situated posteriorly
Eyes are small
Order Acipenseriformes (Paddlefish)
Freshwater rivers – South east US and China
Best identification feature is the long paddle-like snout
Long tapered gill covers
Body is smooth and lacks scales
Hundreds of gill rakers
Body colour is grey to blue-black
Tail is deeply forked
Order Lepisosteiformes (Gars)
Freshwater – Souther US and Central America
Body and jaws are elongate, needle-like teeth
Heavy, ganoid scales
Dorsal fin is posterior in position
Body colour is dependent on species
Tail is heterocercal
Order Amiiformes (Bowfins)
Freshwater – mississippi river
Large, flattened head, strong teeth
Large, boney gular plates
Dorsal fin base is long and spineless
Body colour is olive, grey/white ventrally, male with conspicuous halo on tail
Tail is short and heterocercal
Order Osteoglossiformes (Bonytongues)
Widespread, freshwater, tropical
Prominent lower jaw with two barbels present
Scales large and cycloid
Long bodies, pectoral, dorsal and anal fine are located well back on body
Small rounded caudal fin
Order Osteoglossiformes (Knifefish)
Widespread, freshwater, tropical
Anal fin long, almost running along the entire underneath of the fish
Caudal fin reduced
Dorsal fin is small or absent
Pelvic fins are small or absent
Body colour is uniform often with small spots (spp. dependent)
Order Osteoglossiformes (Knifefish)
Widespread, freshwater, tropical
Anal fin long, almost running along the entire underneath of the fish
Caudal fin reduced
Dorsal fin is small or absent
Pelvic fins are small or absent
Body colour is uniform often with small spots (spp. dependent)
Order Osteoglossiformes (Elephantfish)
Freshwater, africa
Best identification feature is the trunk-like protrusion on the head (an extension of the
mouth; lots of variation among the species)
Dorsal and anal fin are the same length, pelvic fins present
Caudal fin is deeply forked
* Body is laterally compressed
Order Anguilliformes (Freshwater eel)
Widespread, freshwater/marine
Body colour is blue/brown dorsally, white/light ventrally
Lower jaw is longer than upper jaw
Head is long, small eyes which are well forward on the head
Pectoral fins are well developed
Caudal fin is rounded and joined to the anal and pelvic fins
Minute scales are present
Order Anguiliiformes (Moray Eel)
Marine
Large mouth, numerous teeth
Dorsal fins originates before gill openings
Median fins are confluent with caudal fin
No pelvic or pectoral fins
Scaleless
Order Clupeiformes (Pacific Herring)
surface marine waters
No scales on head, large scales on body
No striations on gill cover
No spines on fins
No spotting on the body
No adipose fin, single short dorsal fin position is mid-body
Order Clupeiformes (Pacific Sardine)
surface marine waters
Spindle-shaped body
Fine striations on gill cover
Absence of sharp ridge on scales on belly (unlike most of the herrings)
Row of dark spots on lateral anterior half of body
Body colour is silvery blue on the back and purple/violet on the sides
Specialized flaps on tail-fin
No adipose fin, single short dorsal fin position is mid-body
