Critters of

the
s
e
Chesapeake
h
s
i
F Bay

A General Look

External Anatomy

There are about

25,000 different
species of fishes.
This is more than
any other
vertebrate group.

They come in all shapes and sizes.

The largest is the whale shark.

The abundance of fish life is a reflection

of the abundance of plankton.

Fish show almost infinite variety

when it comes to color. They have
special skin cells called
chromatophores.

These chromatophores can

expand or contract to change the
color of the fish.

There are also many patterns.

Many open water fish like this
tuna show countershading.

They tend to be dark on top and

light on the bottom.
Why do you think they have this
pattern?

Some fishes have a coloration

pattern that allows them to blend
in to their environment.

Some fish have very colorful

warning coloration.
This is often used if they are
poisonous, dangerous, or taste bad.

Many mid-depth fish are often red while

lots of the deep water fish are black and
may have luminescent organs.

Movement In Fishes
Propulsion in
most fishes is
from the caudal
fin and flexing the
hind part of the
body.

The faster
swimming fish also
have a teardrop or
fusiform body
shape to help them
move through the
water.

The dorsal and

anal fins serve
primarily as
rudders.

The pectoral and

pelvic fins are
used for
balancing ,
turning, braking
and going
backwards.

Body Shapes
There are four basic body shapes
with all kinds of variation in
between.

Compressed
Compressed fish
look like they
have been
smashed on both
sides.

Depressed
Depressed fish
look like they
were smashed
from the top and
bottom.

Terete or Round
These fishes are
round like a pipe.
Most eels are in
this group.

Fusiform or Teardrop
This one we
already
mentioned.
Typical of the
faster fish
species.

Scales
Actually, not all fish have scales.
Lampreys and freshwater catfish
lack scales. The American eel
actually has small scales.
There are four basic types that well
look at today.

Sharks and their

relatives have
placoid scales. They
feel a lot like sand
paper.

Gar fish, reedfishes,

and parts of
sturgeons have a
scale type known as
rhombic or ganoid.

Ganoine gives them

the pearly look.

Most bony fishes

have one or both
of the next two
types.
The bony ridge
scales: cycloid
and ctenoid.

Cycloid are round

and lack a comb
like edge.

Ctenoid have the

comb like edge.
Scales can be over
7 inches!

Circulation
The heart of a fish is
simple when compared
to our heart.
They have a two
cambered heart that
follows a heart-gillsbody-heart path.

Oxygen is then taken out of the

water by the gills

Internal Anatomy