Fish Dissection

ARCHDIOCESE OF DAVAO

GROUP 4
 Garafil, Cheska
 Solmeo, Candace
 Bedana, Louise
 Masola, Kristiana

After you obtain a fresh fish, please follow these steps for dissecting it. Label a
section of your lab notebook, Fish Dissection, and answer the numbered
questions. Remember; answer your questions with complete sentences. Finally,
have your teacher check off your list at the end for your final evaluation.

External Anatomy
 Locate the following parts and inspect closely: Eye, nostril, lateral line, and
operculum.
 1. Describe the function of a fish nostril, lateral line, and operculum.

The Milkfish (Bangus) had three functions: Nostril, Lateral Line, and Operculum. Their
nostrils allow them to have a sharp sense of smell. Their lateral line detects vibrations
in water. The operculum both protects gills and aids for breathing.

 Lift away the operculum on one side and cut off. Inside, you should notice
feathery structures known as the gills. Clip out one full section of gill and
identify the fingerlike gill filaments, the sturdy gill rakers, and the
connecting gill arch.

1. Draw a gill section in your lab notebook; label the three previous parts, and
hypothesis on the function of each gill part and record.

3. Copy the following table into your lab notebook. Examine the fins on your fish
and summarize your observations in your table.

Name of Fin No Supported by Function

. spines, rays, or both
Pectoral 2 Both This fin helps the fish to hover, to
navigate by turning and moving up
and down. They’re also responsible
for stability and to slow down or
stop.
Pelvic 2 both This can make the fish rest in one
place if needed and stabilize their
position steadily when swimming
through water. Also responsible for
 slowing down or to stop and to turn
and maneuver.
Dorsal 1 both To stabilize their position steadily
and it helps the fish to turn and
maneuver. This specific fin is for
defense and protection, and it has
spines to keep the predators away.
Anal 1 both To stabilize their position steadily
and it helps the fish to turn and
maneuver.
Caudal 1 both This fin is the main source of power
for the fish to swim, as it also helps
the fish to change direction in
water.

4. Remove several scales and prepare a wet mount using a slide and cover slip.
Experts can age fish by counting rings on the scales.

5. Sketch one of the scales from your fish and label it as ctenoid or cycloid.

Cycloid Ctenoid
6. Scales are formed by concentric layers of bone called circuli and are laid down
at the edge of the scale as the fish grows. Circuli are closer together during
periods of slow growth and farther apart during periods of fast growth. Among
fish in temperate regions, fast growth in the spring causes an annulus, group of
circuli that can be followed around the scale. Determine the age of the fish by
counting the number of annuli on the scale.

7. At this point, wrap your fish up and return to the cooler. We will finish our
dissection tomorrow.

8. Next, do a little research on strange and unusual fish from around the world.
Create the following data table in your lab notebook and complete.
Common Size (length X Unusual characateristics and/or behaviors
Name weight)
Porcupine Up to 3 feet long  Have the unique ability to inflate their
fish bodies when threatened, turning into a
spiky ball to deter predators. They also have
toxic flesh, making it dangerous and not
edible.
 slow-moving and docile.
Shortnose Up to 88 cm (35 in)  It uses its pectoral fins to walk on a
batfish surface, they are one of the few fish that
can move rather than float in water.
 adults migrate upriver to spawn in
spring.

Mudpuppy 8 to 17 inches;  An aquatic type of salamander. They’re

rarely seen, hides known for their ability to regenerate
under rocks. limbs.
 rarely seen, hides under rocks.
Barreleye remains motionless  remains motionless with eyes pointed up
with eyes pointed for prey.
up for prey.  Their unusual features help it survive in
the deep dark ocean.
 It also allows you to see its internal eyes
Lumpfish Males up to 20  Can attach to rocks or other surfaces.
inches (50 cm),  Often found in cold waters.
females up to 24  Adapted to new environments.
inches (61 cm)
Angler fish Less than a foot to  Has a bioluminescent lure on their heads
3.3 feet (1 m)  Large mouths, sharp teeth
 Can hide or reveal its lighted lure.
Boxfish Up to 24 inches  generally peaceful but can be territorial.
 Unique cubical shape body, which their
toughness depends on it for the
protection from its predators.
Mekong Up to 3 meters and  not aggressive.
catfish 300 kg  Largest freshwater fish or large fish
species.
 They’re important species in Mekong
River, which the Mekong Catfish face
threats from fishers and due to habitat.
Oarfish Up to 36 feet  orients vertically to spot prey. Long-like
(1,100 cm), bodies with their large dorsal fins.
commonly around  They’re found in deep-ocean areas,
10 feet (300 cm) making them rarely seen near the
surface.
Frilled 1.7 m (5.6 ft);  active predator that swallows prey whole.
Shark Needle-like teeth, perfect gripping for
preys.
 Teeth are also angled backward, making
it hard for the prey to escape.
 Lives in the deep ocean.
Internal Anatomy
To see the internal organs of a fish, you basically fillet one side, removing the
muscle. Refer to the following diagram for help.

Once you have the internal organs exposed, try to identify each organ. After you
feel like you know the organs below, have your teacher quiz you and place an
evaluation into your lab notebook.
 Locate the reddish liver (grayish in a preserved specimen) near the gills.
Behind the
 liver you may be able to locate a small greenish gallbladder.
 Locate the heart found in a special cavity called the pericardial cavity. You
can find it directly under the gills and in front of the liver. If you can remove
the heart, intact, that is worth a little extra credit!
 Locate the stomach and finger-like pyloric caeca in the middle of the organ
mass. You may cut open the stomach and check for worms, minnows, and
crayfish… Just posterior to (behind) the stomach you may find a football
shaped spleen.
 Locate the intestine leading from the stomach to the anus
 Locate the gonads. The females will have large pink or yellow ovaries filled
with eggs. The males will have two long, skinny, cream-colored testis.
 Locate the air bladder. It is above, or superior to, all of the previous organs.
You may pop it.
 Locate the kidney above the air bladder. The kidney is dark colored and sits
just under the vertebral column.
 Locate the brain and spinal cord. To get to the spinal cord, simple cut open
a part of the vertebral column. Within the column you will find a white circle
that is the spinal cord. To find the brain, cut open the top of the head just
behind the eyes and then carefully remove the cranium. If you show the brain,
in tact, to your teacher, it may be worth a little extra credit.

9. Which of the structures that you observed in the fish help the fish sense its
position in the water and help it to maintain or change position? Explain what
each structure does.

Lateral line -this system detects changes in water pressure, allowing the fish to sense
the movement of other fish or object in the water.

Inner ear - the inner ear detects changes in gravity and acceleration, helping the fish
maintain balance and orientation.

10. Describe the process of counter current flow in the gills. How does it help
with gas exchange?

The blood in the gill flows in a way that it always passes water with oxygen level. It’s
easier for oxygen to move from the water into the blood throughout the entire gill. The
carbon dioxide in blood moves into the water, since the water has a lower carbon dioxide
level. This continuous blood flow ensures that oxygen is absorbed by the fish and carbon
dioxide is removed efficiently, just like humans.

11. Why would a fish with faulty valves in its conus arteriosus probably suffer
from a lack of energy?
When a fish has insufficient valves in its conus arteriosus, it suffers from leakage with
each heartbeat, leading to a waste of energy essential for blood circulation. This
inefficiency limits oxygen flow to the gills and heightens exposure to pathogens during
times of increased demand. Additionally, impaired blood flow hinders nutrient delivery to
cells and the removal of metabolic waste, thereby significantly disrupting the fish's
metabolism and energy balance

12. Some cave dwelling fish have vestigial eyes since there is no light. Therefore,
what part of their brain is probably less developed and what part(s) of their brain
should be more developed?

The less developed part is the optic processing area, they don’t rely sight in the dark,
especially in underwater where lights don’t come that thoroughly. The more developed
part is their sensing vibration, and smell.

The best example is a shark. When a huge amount of blood went through the sea, their
sense of smell (olfactory bulbs: A part of the brain) can detect blood from a kilometer
away. Their lateral line is more developed as well, a movement in water can make a
shark detect where the prey is located.