VERTEBRATE NATURAL HISTORY
SURVEY LAB - CLASSES CYCLOSTOMATA AND ACTINOPTERYGII
Our study fish clades will emphasize relationships between their general body form, microhabitat within the water column, and ways in which members of this group acquire nutrients. You should consult your field guide for salient identification characteristics of the taxa on display, and augment your work in lab with direct field observations. The objective is to understand the variety of habits. structural characteristics, and physical requirements that can exist among the various fish species.
Bear in mind that the coloration/pattern seen on live material or field guide photos may fade in preserved specimens. When returning preserved specimens to their containers, be certain that its entire body is immersed in preservative fluid and the jar lid is sealed tightly. Please be certain that you return the specimen to the correct container.
When examining the specimens, keep in mind the following features of fish, and how they vary according to the species or ontogenetic stage:
1. General morphology You should be familiar with landmarks on the body of a fish that are used to distinguish different species. The fins on the body may be paired (pectoral or pelvic) or medial (dorsal, anal, caudal); the operculum is the structure covering the gill arches and may have species-specific shape or ornamentation; the tail shape (which influences swimming performance) may be described as homocercal or heterocercal; the area immediately anterior to the tail is referred to as the caudal peduncle.
2. Feeding morphology A fishes' mouth may be described as terminal, subterminal, or up-turned - in addition to understanding how these terms can be used to distinguish different taxa, they also indicate whether the fish is a surface feeder, a benthic feeder, or a predator in the water column.
3. Reproductive structures Most fish are oviparous, but several among these may breed in habitats far removed from where the species spends most of its life time. In males of the Western Mosquitofish, anal fins are modified into a sexual structure known as a gonopodium, for example
spiny dorsal fin
soft dorsal fin
lateralline
pectoral fin mandible
caudal peduncle
caudal fin
maxilla preopercle
anal fin pelvic fin
opercle
VERTEBRATE NATURAL HISTORY
For all specimens on display, you will be responsible for the following: 1. common name, Family, Subclass, Class, & Subphylum. 2. identifying characteristics and sexual dimorphism (if any) 3. Native or non-native () and habitat requirements
For the taxa listed below: * = sexual dimorphism + = introduced species
CLASS CYCLOSTOMATA
SUBCLASS PETROMYZONTOIDEA
F. Petromyzontidae
Southern Brook Lamprey
CLASS ACTINOPTERYGII
SUBCLASS ACIPENSERIFORMES
F. Polyodontidae Paddlefish
SUBCLASS NEOPTERYGII
F. Aphredoderidae
Pirate Perch
F. Atherinopsidae Brook Silverside
F. Lepisosteidae Alligator Gar
Longnose Gar
Spotted Gar
F. Catostomidae Blacktail Redhorse
VERTEBRATE NATURAL HISTORY
F. Cyprinidae Bullhead Minnow
Blackspot Shiner
Blacktail Shiner
Creek Chub
Red Shiner*
Ribbon Shiner
Weed Shiner
F. Ictaluridae Yellow Bullhead
Black Bullhead
F. Fundulidae Blackstripe Topminnow
Blackspotted Topminnow
F. Poeciliidae Western Mosquitofish*
F. Centrarchidae
Largemouth Bass
Spotted Bass
Green Sunfish
Bluegill
Longear Sunfi