Class Osteichthyes

FISH

COLORATION

• Iridophores and chromatophores: pigment cells

• Helps in species recognition for mating and territory

Parrotfish

WARNING COLORATION

• Bright coloration alerts others that the fish is dangerous, poisonous, venomous or tastes bad.

Garibaldi

Lionfish

CRYPTIC COLORATION

• May change color to blend in with surroundings

• Example: Flounder

Flounder

FROGFISH

DISRUPTIVE COLORATION• Presence of bars, stripes, or false eye

spots.

MIMICRY• look like another animal

Marine Betta

Spotted Moray

Batfish

Flatworm

COUNTERSHADING

• Light on the bottom, dark on the top

Great White Shark

TAILS

• Rounded:

• Forked:

• Lunate:

Damsel

Tuna

BODY SHAPE (adapted to environment)

Laterally Compressed

Dorsal/Ventrally Compressed

FUSIFORM

• Very fast• Hydrodynamic

ODD SHAPES

Trunkfish

Sea Horse

Puffer fish

PELAGIC FISH ADAPTATIONS

1. Fusiform body = Hydrodynamic

2. Silver or countershading

3. Forked tail = FAST

4. Large pectoral fins

5. Finlets

6. Keel

Mola

Flying FishTuna

Barracuda

CORAL REEF ADAPTATIONS1. Laterally

compressed or odd body shapes

2. Disruptive or warning coloration

3. Moderate to fast swimmers

Moray Eel

Grouper

Trumpet Fish

Boxfish

Butterfly Fish

BENTHIC ADAPTATIONS

1. Flattened body

2. Cryptic coloration

3. Superior mouth

4. Superior eyes

5. Moderate to slow swimmers

Flounder

Sea Robin

Stargazer

Sculpin

NIGHT ADAPTATIONS

1. Pale red to reddish brown

2. 2. Large eyes (tapetum lucidum)

3. May bioluminesce

Cardinalfish

Bigeye

Squirrelfish

Soldierfish

REPRODUCTION

• Most fish spawn: external fertilization

• Anadromous: spawn in fresh water, spend life in salt (salmon)

• Catadromous: spawn in salt water, spend life in fresh (European eel)

• Oviparous or Viviparous• Many fish are

hermaphrodites: possess both ovaries and testes

SCHOOLING

• Protection, safety in numbers, confuses predators

• Finding mates and food

COELACANTH: Fossil Fish

• Lobed-finned fish. • Thought to be extinct, but discovered off the

coast of Sri Lanka in early part of 20th century.• Living fossil fish

WHALE SHARK

• Largest Fish (up to 50ft.)

SAILFISH

• Fastest fish; may swim up to 70 mph

Paedocypris progenetica:

• World’s Smallest Fish

• 7.9 mm (.31in)• Lives in forest

swamps of Sumatra

Vocabulary

• Nocturnal: Hunts at night

• Diurnal: Hunts during the day

• Crepuscular: Hunts at dawn and dusk