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Fishes

Fishes represent a diverse group of aquatic vertebrates that are divided into two main groups: bony fishes and cartilaginous fishes. They have a bilaterally symmetrical body with systems like a closed circulatory system and gills for respiration. Bony fishes have bones as their endoskeleton while cartilaginous fishes have cartilage. Locomotion is enabled by fins and some bony fishes have swim bladders. Reproduction involves separate sexes and fertilization that is usually internal for cartilaginous fishes and external for bony fishes. Examples of each group are provided.

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31 views

Fishes

Fishes represent a diverse group of aquatic vertebrates that are divided into two main groups: bony fishes and cartilaginous fishes. They have a bilaterally symmetrical body with systems like a closed circulatory system and gills for respiration. Bony fishes have bones as their endoskeleton while cartilaginous fishes have cartilage. Locomotion is enabled by fins and some bony fishes have swim bladders. Reproduction involves separate sexes and fertilization that is usually internal for cartilaginous fishes and external for bony fishes. Examples of each group are provided.

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Obiora Ekene Hilary
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ZEB 301: Chordate Zoology

Fishes

The fishes represent a wide diversity of aquatic vertebrates. They are recognised as the first
true vertebrates as the notochords found in protochordates are here replaced by the vertebral
column or backbone made of either bone or cartilage. They also have a true skull or cranium
unlike the protochordates. Fishes are generally classified as bony fishes (Osteichthyes) or
cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes). Their features are described below.

General features of fishes

Habitat: Fishes are generally aquatic. Cartilaginous fishes are mainly marine while bony
fishes are found in both marine and fresh water habitats.

Body: Fishes have a bilaterally symmetrical body made of head, trunk and tail. Fishes are
mostly ectothermic/poikilothermic or cold blooded. However, fishes such as billfishes, tunas,
and the butterfly kingfish are homoithermic/endothermic.

Endoskeleton: Bony fishes have bones as the main structures in their endoskeleton while
cartilaginous fishes have endoskeletons made primarily of cartilage.

Exoskeleton: The exoskeleton of fishes is composed of scales made of bones or dentine.


They protect the fish from injury and blunt force.

Respiration: Most fish exchange gases using gills on either side of the pharynx. Gills consist
of threadlike structures called filaments. Each filament contains a capillary network that
provides a large surface area for exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. Fish exchange gases
by pulling oxygen-rich water through their mouths and pumping it over their gills. However,
some fishes such as the African lung fish must periodically come to the surface of the water
to breathe in air. In bony fishes, the gills are covered by an operculum.

Circulation: Fishes have a closed circulatory system. They have a two chambered heart
made of an atrium and a ventricle. Heart consists of only the impure blood. Circulation of
blood is uni-circuit with the presence of renal and hepatic portal veins. The red blood cells
are nucleated.

Digestion: Jaws allow fish to eat a wide variety of food, including plants and other
organisms. Fish ingest food through the mouth and break it down in the oesophagus. In the
stomach, food is further digested and, in many fish, processed in finger-shaped pouches
called pyloric caeca, which secrete digestive enzymes and absorb nutrients. Organs such as
the liver and pancreas add enzymes and various chemicals as the food moves through the
digestive tract. The intestine completes the process of digestion and nutrient absorption.

Excretion: As with many aquatic animals, most fish release their nitrogenous wastes as
ammonia. Some of the wastes diffuse through the gills. Blood wastes are filtered by the
kidneys. Saltwater fish tend to lose water because of osmosis. Their kidneys return water to
the body. The reverse happens in freshwater fish: they tend to gain water osmotically. Their
kidneys produce dilute urine for excretion. Some fish have specially adapted kidneys that
vary in function, allowing them to move from freshwater to saltwater.

Locomotion: Fishes have well developed muscles and sets of fins which help them swim and
steer from one place to another. Pectoral and pelvic fins are paired whereas dorsal and caudal
fins are unpaired. Bony fishes also have swim bladders which help them maintain buoyancy.

Nervous system: Fishes have a developed brain and spinal cord with nerves. These help
them respond to stimulus. Sense organs such as eyes, ears and lateral lines are also present to
detect changes in the environment. The eyes are usually unlidded and are located at either
side of the head. Only the inner ear is present and is made of semi-circular canals. It helps
them detect sound. Lateral lines run vertically from the neck of the fish to the tail and helps
fish detect vibrations in water.

Reproduction: Sexes are separate. Males possess testes which produce sperm while the
females have ovaries that produce ova. Fertilisation is usually internal in cartilaginous fishes
while it is usually external in bony fishes. Some species are oviparous, viviparous or
ovoviviparous.

Examples of bony fish include: carps, lung fish, cat fish, sturgeons, perch, clown fish,
guppy, sea horse, tuna, mackerel, salmon, goldfish, sword fish etc.

Examples of cartilaginous fish are sharks, stingray, catsharks, chimaera, batoids, Gollum,
Iago, torpedo etc.

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