Ichthyology:the study of fishes

Aves19%

Reptilia14%

Mammalia9%

Amphibia6%

Osteichthyes50%

Chondrichthyes2%

Vertebrate taxa

Aves19%

Reptilia14%

Mammalia9%

Amphibia6%

Osteichthyes50%

Chondrichthyes2%

Vertebrate taxa

24,500 species

850 species

8,600 species

6,500 species

4,100

Aves19%

Reptilia14%

Mammalia9%

Amphibia6%

Osteichthyes50%

Chondrichthyes2%

Vertebrate biases# pages in Larousse

Encyclopedia of Animals

6115%

154%

4812%

13535%

14837%

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

TetraodontiformesPleuronectiformes

Perciformes

ScorpaeniformesSynbranchiformesGasterosteiformes

ZeiformesBeryciformes

Atherniniformes

CyprinodontiformesBatrachoidiformes

OphidiiformesGadiformes

PercopsiformesMyctophiformes

Aulopiformes

StomiiformesSalmoniformesGymnotiformes

SiluriformesCharaciformesCypriniformes

GonorynchiformesClupeiformes

Anguilliformes

ElopiformesOsteoglossiformes

Amiiformes

Lepisosteiformes Acipenseriformes

PolypteriformesCoelacanthiformes

LepistosireniformesCeratodotiformes

Rajiiformes

SqualiformesLamniformes

Hexanchiformes

ChimaeraformesPetromyzoniformes

Myxiniformes Number of species per order

>9,000 species

Define “fish”…..

Fish extremes:

Largest (SW): whale shark (12 m)

Smallest: dwarf goby (Trimmatom nanus) – 8.0 mm carp Paedocypris progenetica – 7.9 mm

Distribution of water vs. fishes

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

fresh water

salt water

Proportion of water on planet

Distribution of water vs. fishes

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

fresh water

salt water

Proportion of water on planet

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

atmosphere

lakes, rivers

groundwater

ice and snow

Proportion of fresh water

Distribution of water vs. fishes

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

fresh water

salt water

Proportion of water on planet

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

atmosphere

lakes, rivers

groundwater

ice and snow

Proportion of fresh water

41% of all fishes

58% of all fishes

Systems and sensory modalities of fishes

• osmoregulation• buoyancy control• respiration (air and water)• mechanosensory – lateral line• light production• electroreception• electric generation• anatomically varied sound production