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LAB-Fish-Dissection

The document outlines a fish dissection lab, detailing the background, procedures, and observations related to the anatomy of bony fish. It includes steps for examining external and internal structures, such as the mouth, gills, digestive system, and reproductive system. Additionally, it compares fish and human body systems and matches organs with their functions.

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13 views

LAB-Fish-Dissection

The document outlines a fish dissection lab, detailing the background, procedures, and observations related to the anatomy of bony fish. It includes steps for examining external and internal structures, such as the mouth, gills, digestive system, and reproductive system. Additionally, it compares fish and human body systems and matches organs with their functions.

Uploaded by

cyrenecorsiga0724
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name : Abancio, Alvarez, Cagalawan, Corsiga, Pastro

LAB – Fish Dissection


Background Information
Fish are the largest group of vertebrates found in fresh and salt water. In fact, over 25,00 species of fish
comprise about 50% of the vertebrate population. Part of the reason for the large number of fish is due
to how well adapted they are to life in an aquatic environment. In this lab you will observe the external
and internal structures of a typical boney fish. You will see how its structures make it ideally suited to
living in an aquatic environment.
Procedure
1. Obtain a fish, gloves, and dissecting tools. Most
of these should already be set out at the lab tables.
2. Look at your fish and orient yourself with the
positioning of the fish (e.g. anterior, posterior, dorsal,
ventral). Also become familiar with the external
structures of the fish.

2. Open and close the fish’s mouth to observe the actions of the mandible and maxilla.
a. Describe the movement.
The mandible (lower jaw) moves downward to open the mouth and upward to close it,
while the maxilla (upper jaw) helps in guiding the movement. This movement is important for
feeding and respiration.
b. Does this fish have any teeth?
Yes, the fish has teeth. These teeth may help in capturing prey, tearing food, or grinding
plant material, depending on the species.
3. Place a probe in the fish’s mouth and gently push it through the operculum. You should notice
several gill arches, as shown in the enlarged circle of Figure 2.
a. What is the function of the operculum?

The operculum Is a bony flap that covers and protects


the gills. It plays a crucial role in respiration by regulating
water flow over the gills. When the fish closes its mouth, the
operculum opens slightly, allowing water to flow out. When the
fish opens its mouth, the operculum closes, creating pressure
that pushes water over the gill filaments for gas exchange. This ensures the fish can extract
oxygen from water efficiently, even when it is not actively swimming.
b. Explain what is going on at the gill filaments.
The gill filaments are thin, feathery structures where gas exchange occurs. Each filament
is lined with tiny structures called lamellae, which contain a dense network of capillaries. As
water flows over the filaments, oxygen from the water diffuses into the blood in the capillaries,
while carbon dioxide from the blood diffuses out into the water. This process is essential for the
fish to breathe. The structure of the filaments maximizes surface area, allowing for more efficient
oxygen absorption.

4. Remove the gill arches by cutting its dorsal and ventral attachment (See Figure 1 for orientation).
Examine it under a dissecting scope. Write observations below.

5. Locate the gill rakes on each gill arch. These projections separate the gill arches from each other and
create spaces between each of the gill arches. Notice how the gill rakers project inside the fish’s
mouth.

6. Remove a fish scale. Place the scale on a slide and add a drop of water.
Then place a coverslip on top. Finally look at the scale under the
microscope and draw what you see in the box to the right.

7. Using Figure 3 as a guide, begin making an incision along the dorsal


side of the fish no high than the lateral line. Most of the organs reside in the ventral half of the fish’s
body. Be careful not to cut too deeply, you might destroy some of the internal organs.
8. Use your scissors and make the incision toward the head, as show in the diagram.
9. Incision 2 should begin on the ventral surface just forward of the anus. When you reach the gills, cut
upward behind the gills. This will complete Incision 3.
10. Lastly, finish this process by making incision 4 as show in Figure 3. Very carefully, lift away the cut
section of the body wall. Use your scissors to remove any membranes that adhere to the body wall.
If the body organs are covered with fat, you may use the forceps to remove this material.

11. Use Figure 4 to help identify the various fish internal organs.
12. Digestive System: Find the tan-colored liver with the gallbladder attached to and underneath the
liver. Cut the liver free from the body to expose the esophagus and stomach. Then, trace the route
a piece of food would travel as it passes through the fish’s digestive system. Find the mouth,
pharynx, esophagus, pyloric caeca (blind ended sacs), stomach, intestines, and anus. To aid in
locating other organs, remove the entire digestive canal by cutting it free at the anus and at the
mouth.
13. Reproductive System: Determine if your fish is a male or a fish by locating either a pair of testes,
small pale yellow masses on the ventral side or a single, large yellow ovary filled with eggs. The
testes and ovaries are connected by tubes to the urogenital opening found posterior to the anus.
Check around the classroom with other groups to ensure you observe both male and female fish.
14. Respiratory and Excretory System: Locate and remove the bright white, gas-filled swim bladder in
the dorsal portion of the fish. On the dorsal wall of the body cavity locate the kidneys. The kidneys
are connected by urinary ducts to a urinary bladder from which wastes pass out of the body through
the urogenital opening.
15. Circulatory System: Cut through the fish’s body all anterior to the where the liver was located.
Doing this exposes a cavity where the heard is suspended. Find the one thin-walled atrium and the
one thicker-walled muscular ventricle. You may be able to locate the one enlarged vein (sinus
venosus) where blood enters the heart and the one enlarged artery (bulbus arteriosus) where the
blood leaves the heart. The blood leaving the heart goes and the gills where it flows through
capillaries in the gills and throughout the body in various veins and capillaries and arteries and finally
returns to the heart to be pumped throughout the body again.
16. You may remove the eye of the fish and analyze the internal structure. Draw the structures in the
space below.
Summary Questions
List 3 body systems that both humans and fish have in common.
1. Circulatory System – Both have a heart that pumps blood through vessels.
2. Respiratory System – Humans use lungs, while fish use gills for gas exchange.
3. Digestive System – Both have stomachs, intestines, and other organs to process food.

4. Compare human and fill structures by filling in the table below:


Human Fish
Lungs = Gills
Ears = Lateral Line
Skin = Scales
Arms = Pectoral Fins
Legs = Pelvic Fins

3. Match the following organs/structures with the correct functions.


G. ____Gills A. Protects fish from parasites and bacteria in water

E. ____Lateral line B. Filters toxins from fish’s blood and creates waste

D. ____Pyloric caeca C. Filled with gas that helps fish move up and down in water column

A. ____Slime layer D. Helps with digestive processes

F. ____Liver E. Allows fish to hear and feel vibrations

C. ____Swim bladder F. Secretes bile to aid in digestion

B. ____Kidney G. Allows fish to breath under water

4. In the diagram below, identify the following parts: Mouth, Lateral Line, Eye, Operculum, Anal Fin,
Dorsal Fin(s), Pectoral Fin, Caudal Fin, Pelvic Fin, Anus, Nostril

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