Lab 8 - Biodiversity V Flashcards

Question

True soles - Class; Superorder; Order; Suborder; Family; Characteristics; Canadian distribution; FW/SW?

Answer 1

**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

Answer 2

Defined by the **loss of many skull bones** and the **fusion of others** _Suborder Balistoidei_ 1. family **Balistidae**, triggerfishes 2. familiy **Monacanthidae**, filefishes 3. family **Ostraciidae**, boxfishes, cowfishes, trunkfishes _Suborder Tetradontoidei_ 1. family **Tetradontidae**, puffers, pufferfishes 2. family **Diodontidae**, porcupinefishes 3. family **Molidae**, molas, ocean sunfishes

Answer 3

**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

Answer 4

**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

Answer 5

**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

Answer 6

**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

Answer 7

**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

Answer 8

**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

Answer 9

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

Answer 10

**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