Lab 8 - Biodiversity V Flashcards
Sand lances - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Species (Pacific sand lance); Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Sand lances
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Trachinoidea; family Ammodytidae
Pacific sand lance species Ammodytes hexapeterus
Grows to 20cm long locally, but reaches 26 cm in the Bering Sea; no commercial harvest of this small fish, but has tremendous indirect value as a prey of many marine vertebrates including salmon, lingcod, flatfishes, seabirds, and seals; body elongate; lower jaw projects beyond upper jaw; forked caudal fin; pelvic fins usually absent; small cycloid scales; lateral line high on body; no spines in long single dorsal fin or in long anal fin
Tropical to polar waters in Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, & Indian oceans; BC; SW
Sandfishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Sandfishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Trachinoidea; family Trichodontidae
Sculpin-like fishes; broad head tapering to forked caudal fin; distinctly large upward pointing, supraterminal mouth, outlined with a comb-like straining fringe; 2 separate dorsal fins, spiny and soft rayed; long anal fin; often bury in sand, awaiting passing prey
North Pacific; BC; SW
Ragfishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Ragfishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Icosteoidei; family Icosteidae
Containing only one family and one species, wihtin this suborder, the ragfish Icosteus aenigmaticus; elliptical, flaccid highly compressed body; skeleton largely cartilaginous; long dorsal & anal fins with no spines; narrow caudal peduncle, large truncated caudal fin; pelvic fin absent in adults, but loosely attached and utimately lost in young
Pacific coast of N. America; BC; SW
Clingfishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Clingfishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Gobiesocidae; family Gobiesocidae
Small fish, <10cm; with broadly depressed & wide heads; no scales; pelvic fins united to make a thoracic sucking disc, not like a pedestal as in Gobiidae; dorsal & anal fin with only soft rays
Primarily shalloow water to intertidal, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans; BC; SW
Gobies - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Gobies
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Gobioidei; family Gobiidae
Generally small benthic fishes with large pelvic fins united to form an adhesive sucking disc/PEDESTAL; typically with two separate dorsal fins, 1st small and composed of spines; highly diverse group with 1950 species; associated with complex habitats ex corals, sponges, rocky reefs, etc, often living in burrows of their own making
Tropical to temparate waters; BC; SW/FW; mainly tropical marine, but some in tropical FW and in marine temperate waters, including 3 spps in BC Pac waters; 1 spps introduced into Great Lakes
Surgeonfishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Surgeonfishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Acanthuroidei; family Acnathuridae
Deep bodied, laterally compressed fishes; very small fine “picking” mouths, often on slightly extended snout; slightly concave forehead; dorsal & anal fins long and continuous, with spinous and soft-rayed portions; razor-like blades for defense on caudal peduncle, 1 or 2 on each side, fixed or retractable; common coral reef inhabitant
All tropical and subtropical seas; NO BC; SW
Cutlassfishes, snake-mackerels - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Cutlassfishes, snake-mackerels
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Scombroidei; familiy Trichiuridae
Body very elongate & strongly compressed, sword-like; pointed heads; long protruding lower jaws usually with large fang-like teeth; no scales; very long single dorsal with spines and rays, sometimes notched; very slender caudal peduncle with caudal fin small and forked or absent; pectoral fins are small and relatively low on body; pelvic fins are absent or rudimentary (small scales under pectoral fins
Typically trropical Atlantic, Indian & Pacific oceans, one deep-sea species in BC, frost fish Benthodesmus simonyi (very rare!); BC; SW
Barracudas - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Barracudas
Class Actinopterygii; suporder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Scombroidei; family Sphyraenidae
Moderately large, elongate fusiform predatory fish; long pointed head; projecting lower jaw, very well-toothed mouth; 1st dorsal is small and spinous, situated above pelvic fins, which are relatively far back on body for a derived fish (fast swimming predator); 2nd dorsal fin widely separated from 1st, far back on body, above similar sized anal fin; moderately forked caudal fin
Typically coastal, tropical to subtropical Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans; BC; SW
Tunas, mackerels - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Tunas, mackerels
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Scombroidei; family scombridae
Highly fusiform fishes with conical head and fused premaxilla; body with 2 separate dorsal fins, depressible into grooves; 2nd dorsal fin is soft-rayed, and like the anal fin, is followed by 5-12 finlets; pelvic fins are thoracic; scales are cylcoid and usually small; 2 keels on narrow caudal peduncle; highly forked/lunate caudal fin; some species are endothermic; vs Carangidae, no free-floating anal spine, no protrusible premaxilla, no lateral scutes, small cycloid scales, and finless head
Tropical & temperate oceans, Atlantic and Pacific Canadian waters; BC; SW –> chub mackerel Scomber japonicus and the albacore tuna Thunnus alalunga are 2 of 5 species found in BC
Butterfishes, pompanos, pomfrets - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Butterfishes, pompanos, pomfrets
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Stramoateoidei; family Stromateidae
Body usually very deep and laterally compressed; pelvic fins ABSENT vs Bramidae which have pelvic fins; continuous dorsal & anal fins long; narrow caudal peduncal with lunate caudal fin
Coastal Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans; BC; SW
Gouramies, Siamese fighting fishes, paradise fishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Gouramies, Siamese fighting fishes, paradise fishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Anabatoidei; family Osphronemidae
Diverse group of generally small fishes; all have labyrinth-like accessory breathing organs above gills ie can BREATHE AIR; elongate pelvic rays/fins; males provide parental care through the use of bubble nest to which tehy attach and defend their eggs or through mouth brooding; commercially important (part of rice patties harvest) and aquarium trade
India through Southeast Asia; NO BC; FW
Snakeheads - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Snakeheads
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Channoidei; family Channidae
Elongate round bodied fishes are voracious predators who can breathe air through the use of labyrinth-like accessory organs above gills; able to move across land; long dorsal and anal fins without spines; lower jaw protrudes above upper jaw; anterior nostril often has pronounced tube; superficially looks like an Amiidae bowfin, but pelvic fins are further forward, much longer anal fin, protrusible premaxilla, and no gular plate
Tropical Africa and SE Asia; INTRO’D BC; FW
What are the traits found in order Pleuronectiformes? What families and species are examined in lab from this group?
Mostly marine and brackish, but there are some purely freshwater species
Large assemblage of fishes (678 species), many are very commercially important and some are very popular sports fishes
All linked by the fact that adults are bilaterally asymmetrical with one eye migrating to the oter side of teh head during metamorphosis from larval stage
There are 14 families (5 considered in lab) and 2 suborders
Suborder Psettodoidei
- family Psettodidae, spiny turbot
Suborder Pleuronectoidei
- family Bothidae, lefteye flounder, sandabs
- family Pleuronectidae, righteye flounders (halibut, sole, flounders)
- family Cynoglossidae, tonguefishes
- familyi Soleidae, true soles
Spiny turbots - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Spiny turbots
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomoprha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pstetodoidei; family Psettodidae
Most primitive of extant flatfishes; looks more like a “normal fish” than other flatfishes; may be dextral (right-eyed) or sinistral (left-eyed); pelvic fins nearly symmetrical; middle eye sits on top of head ie cyclops-like as if migration incomplete; dorsal fin doesn’t extend onto head; very large well toothed mouth
Tropical, Indian & Indo-Pacific oceans, none in Canada; NO BC; SW
Left-eye flounders, sandabs - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Left-eye flounders, sandabs
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pleuronectoidei; family Bothidae
Looks like a typical flatfish but eyes are on the left side of fish only (only starry flounders, family Pleuronectidae are dextral and sinistral); pelvic fins slightly assymetrical, where base of one is longer than the other
Atlantic, Indian & Pacific oceans, 15 spps in Atlantic Canada; 2 spps in BC; SW

How does one determine which side of a Pleuronectiformes the eyes are found on?
- Point head of fish towards the left
- Make sure the ventral side of the fish, ie where pelvic fins are, is nearest you
- If eyes are facing up = left-eyed fish
- if eyes are facing down = right-eyed fish
Righteye flounders (halibut, sole & flounders = common names) - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Species and families examined in lab?
Righteye flounders (halibut, sole & flounders = common names)
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Perciformes; suborder Pleuronectoidei; family Pleuronectidae
Eyes almost always dextral (right-eyed), with the exception of starry flounder, Platichthys stellatus
Arctic, Pacific. Atlantic and Indian oceans, on all coasts of Canada with 19 spps in Pacific Can and 8 spps in Atlantic Can; BC; SW
A) Family Pleuronectidae
- Atheresthes stomias, arrowtooth flounder
- Hippoglossus stenolepis, Pacific halibut
- Errex zachirus, rex sole
- Platichthys stellatus, starry flounder
- Parophrys vetulus, English sole
- Eopsetta jordani, Petrale sole
B) Family Cynoglossidae
C) Family Soleidae

Arrowtooth flounder - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Species; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Arrowtooth flounder
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pleuronectoidei; family Pleuronectidae
Species Atheresthes stomias
Right eyed, dextral; eyed side uniform dark greyish brown to olive brown; blind side dirty white to light grey; scales darker at edges; body shape elongate diamond; caudal fin crescent-shaped, slightly indented; lateral line makes a gradual rise over pectoral fins ie nearly straight with slight curve over pectorals; accessory dorsal branch ABSENT; mouth very large with 2 rows of large, sharp, arrow-shaped teeth; maxillary extends beyond posterior margin of lower eye; no fang-like tooth on vomer; left eye on dorsal ridge, visible from blind side; 2 gill rakers on the second upper arch; anal spine absent; pre-opercle = C-shaped not angular; anterior nostril on blind side has small flap; dorsal fin origin at middle of eye
North Pacific; BC; SW

Pacific halibut - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Species; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Pacific halibut
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pleuronectoidei; family Pleuronectidae
Species Hippoglossus stenolepis
Almost always right eyed, dextral; eyed side greenish brown to dark brown or black with lighter blotches; blind side white to milky white; dorsal fin extends past eye; body large and stout with elongate diamond shape; caudal fin has crescent shape, often indented near edges ie double truncate; lateral line has high arch/curves over pectoral fins; accessory dorsal branch absent; mouth large with 2 rows of teeth on upper jaw and 1 row on lower jaw; maxillary reaches below middle of lower eye; area between eyes flat to slightly concave; anal spine present; scales small and smooth on both sides of body
North Pacific Ocean; BC; SW

Rex sole - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Species; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Rex sole
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pleornectoidei; family Pleuronectidae
Species Errex zachirus (aka Glyptocephalus zachirus)
Right-eyed, dextral; eyed side uniform light brown to gray; edges of dorsal and ventral fins dark or dusky; pectoral fin on eyed side VERY LONG and mostly black; blind side off-white to dusky; body elongate; caudal fin rounded with rays longest in center, forming a broad V; lateral line nearly straight; mouth VERY SMALL; maxillary extends to below anterior edge of lower eye; snout rounded; eyes large with ridge between eyes; strong anal spine; scales small
North Pacific; BC; SW

Starry flounder - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Species; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Starry flounder
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pleuronectoidei; family Pleuronectidae
Species Platichthys stellatus
Belongs to the right-eyed family, but can also be left-eyed, dextral or sinistral; eyed side olive to dark brown or almost black; unpaired fins white to yellow to orange with black bars; blind side white to creamy white; body shape oval; caudal fin nearly square or slightly rounded; lateral line with slight curve over pectoral fin; accessory dorsal branch absent; mout small; maxillary extends below anterior to upper eye; space between eyes flat; head slender, pointed; anal spines strong; scattered rough tubercles (star-like scales) on eyed side
North Pacific; BC; SW

English sole - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
English sole
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pleuronectoidei; family Pleuronectidae
Right-eyed, sinistral; lateral line nearly straight with lsight curve; long accessory dorsal branch; caudal fin nearly square with slight point at center; upper eye visible from blind side; snout pointed; scales on rear = rough, on front half = smooth
Eastern Pacific; BC; SW

Petrale sole - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Petrale sole
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pleuronectoidei; family Pleuronectidae
Right-eyed, distral; lateral line makes gradual rise over pectoral fin; large mouth, teeth not enlarged and in 2 rows on upper jaw; eyes medium-sized with broad space between them
Pacific ocean; BC; SW

Tonguefishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Tonguefishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pleuronectoidei; family Cynoglossidae
Left-eyed, sinstral; tear-drop shape body with pointed caudal fin; dorsal and anal fins are confluent with caudal fin; eyes are very small, usually close together; mouth = asymetrical, sometimes (not always) hooked, subterminal
Tropical to subtropical seas, one species RARELY in Atlantic Can; NO BC; SW

True soles - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
True soles
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Pleuronectiformes; suborder Pleuronectoidei; family Soleidae
Right-eyed, dextral; small, usually terminal mouths, sometimes slightly hooked; dorsal & anal fins free from caudal fin or united
Tropical to temperate seas, Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans; BC; SW

What trait defines order Tetradontiformes?
What families and suborders are examined in lab?
Defined by the loss of many skull bones and the fusion of others
Suborder Balistoidei
- family Balistidae, triggerfishes
- familiy Monacanthidae, filefishes
- family Ostraciidae, boxfishes, cowfishes, trunkfishes
Suborder Tetradontoidei
- family Tetradontidae, puffers, pufferfishes
- family Diodontidae, porcupinefishes
- family Molidae, molas, ocean sunfishes
Triggerfishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Triggerfishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Tetradontiformes; suborder Balistoidei; family Balistidae
Usually 3 strong spines in dorsal, 3rd spine sometimes small or missing; stouter, tougher than closely related filfefishes family Monacanthidae; heavy pelvic spine; mouth small but strong developed for crushing coral; ctenoid scales in regular series, platelike & rough i.e tough skin with trigger that lock
Tropical to warm temperate, Atlantic, Indian, & Pacific oceans; NO BC; SW

Filefishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Filefishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Tetradontiformes; suborder Balistoidei; family Monacanthidae
Distinguised by having only a maximum of 2 dorsal spines, with 2nd much smaller or absent vs 1st spine; scales small in regular series; body prickly or furry to touch
Tropical Atlantic, Indian & Pacific oceans; NO BC; SW

Boxfishes, cowfishes, trunkfishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Boxfishes, cowfishes, trunkfishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Tetradontiformes; suborder Balistoidei; family Ostraciidae
Body encased in bony carapace, only fins and mouth protruding out; pelvic fins absent; some are known to discharge toxic substances when disturbed which can kill other fish in confiend quarters.
Tropical Atlantic, Indian & Pacific oceans, rare in Atlantic Canada; NO BC; SW

Puffers, pufferfishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Puffers, pufferfishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Tetradontiformes; suborder Tetradontoidei; family Tetradontidae
Body inflatable, naked or with small prickles; 4 fused teeth in jaws, 2 fused identifiable on upper and lower jaw; the flesh and viscera of some species contains the alkaloid poison tetraodotoxin which can be lethal
Tropical and subtropical, Atlantic, Indian, & Pacifc oceans, rare in Atlantic Canada; NO BC; SW, some FW

Porcupinefishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Porcupinefishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Tetradontiformes; suborder Tetradontoidei; family Diodontidae
Body inflatable, covered in well-developed sharp spines (in some species the spines erect only when inflated); 2 fused teeth in jaws; parrot-like beak
Tropical Atlantic, Indian & Pacific waters, rare in Atlantic Canada; NO BC; SW

Molas, ocean sunfishes - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
Molas, ocean sunfishes
Class Actinopterygii; superorder Percomorpha; order Tetradontiformes; suborder Tetradontoidei; family Molidae
Strange laterally compressed, deep-bodied fishes of immense size with male killer whale-like large single dorsal & matching anal fin; small mouth with 2 fused teeth; no caudal fin or caudal peduncle, where caudal area reduced to a leathery flap or “pseudo-caudal”
Tropical to warm temperate seas, pelagic, Atlantic, Indian &Pacific oceans, occurring both in Pacific and Atlantic Canada; BC; SW

What are the charcterisitcs of Class Sarcopterygii?
What fish is exmained in lab? Infraclass? Order?
Made up of lobed-fin fishes, and precludes the rise of tetrapods
Infraclass Dipnoi - lungfishes, where brachiostegals and gulars absent; diphycercal tail confluent with dorsal & anal fins; plate-like crushing teeth, fast strong and deadly
Order Lepidosireniformes - South American and African lungfishes: pectoral & pelvic fins filamentous, without rays; scales small; paired air bladder; larvae with external gills; adults estivate or bury themselves in the dry season
Family Protopteridae - African lungfishes
African lungfish - Class; Subclass; Infraclass; Order; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?
African lungfishes
Class Sarcopterygii; subclass Dipnotetrapodomorpha; infraclass Dipnoi; order Lepidosireniformes; family Protopteridae
Maximum size to 180cm in Protopterus aethiopicus; young fishes active by night, adults are active by day; food consists mostly of hard-bodied invertebrates with mollusks, hence strong jaws and crushing teeth; gain 90% of their oxygen via AIR BREATHING, considered as obligate air-breathers as adults; in the dry season they burrow into mud, with their head pointed up, secrete a mucous layer which dries into hard mud cocoon, slowing their breathign and heart rates, living off of stored energy until rainy season
Central & southern Africa, occurring in both lakes and rivers, including variety of swamp habitats; NO BC; FW
