Learning Target: Vertebrates are animals with endoskeletons. (backbones or cartilage)
There are 7 groups of vertebrates:
- Jawless Fish
- Cartiliginous Fish
- Bony Fish
- Amphibians
- Reptiles
- Birds
- Mammals
Vertebrates are animals with endoskeletons (backbones).
Only 5% of animals are vertebrates. Most vertebrates are fish. There are more than 20,000 species of fish, from tiny minnows to huge whale sharks. Fish live in nearly every aquatic environment, from freshwater lakes and brackish waters, to the bottom of the sea.
Most bony fish have fins with different functions. Their bodies are designed for moving stealthily through water. They have vertebrae to support muscles and surround the spinal cord, which connects the animal's brain to its nerves. Other bones, such as the ribs and skull, protect organs like the heart, lungs and brain.
Fish have gills to remove oxygen from the water.Fish gills are made up of many folds of tissue and are filled with blood. A lateral line that allows fish to sense objects and organisms that are nearby by using vibrations. Fish have swim bladders that allow the fish to adjust how high or low the fish floats.
There are three types of fish:
Jawless Fish: This group includes lampreys and hagfish. Jawless fish are believed to be the first fish on earth. They have simpler bodies than other fish. They do not have a jaw. They do have teeth but they cannot chew.
Cartilaginous Fish: This group includes sharks, rays, and skates. Their skeletons are not made of hard bone, but of a flexible tissue called cartilage.
Bony Fish: Most fish species, including tuna, flounder, goldfish, and eels, are classified in this large, diverse group. Of the 20,000 fish species, about 96 percent are bony fish. Bony fish have skeletons made of hard bone. Most bony fish have scales, jaws, and teeth and several pairs of fins.
Only 5% of animals are vertebrates. Most vertebrates are fish. There are more than 20,000 species of fish, from tiny minnows to huge whale sharks. Fish live in nearly every aquatic environment, from freshwater lakes and brackish waters, to the bottom of the sea.
Most bony fish have fins with different functions. Their bodies are designed for moving stealthily through water. They have vertebrae to support muscles and surround the spinal cord, which connects the animal's brain to its nerves. Other bones, such as the ribs and skull, protect organs like the heart, lungs and brain.
Fish have gills to remove oxygen from the water.Fish gills are made up of many folds of tissue and are filled with blood. A lateral line that allows fish to sense objects and organisms that are nearby by using vibrations. Fish have swim bladders that allow the fish to adjust how high or low the fish floats.
There are three types of fish:
Jawless Fish: This group includes lampreys and hagfish. Jawless fish are believed to be the first fish on earth. They have simpler bodies than other fish. They do not have a jaw. They do have teeth but they cannot chew.
Cartilaginous Fish: This group includes sharks, rays, and skates. Their skeletons are not made of hard bone, but of a flexible tissue called cartilage.
Bony Fish: Most fish species, including tuna, flounder, goldfish, and eels, are classified in this large, diverse group. Of the 20,000 fish species, about 96 percent are bony fish. Bony fish have skeletons made of hard bone. Most bony fish have scales, jaws, and teeth and several pairs of fins.
Label the following items on the large-mouth bass below.
- Spiny Dorsal Fin
- Soft Dorsal Fin
- Anal Fin
- Pelvic Fin
- Pectoral Fin
- Caudal Fin
- Operculum
- Lateral Line
- Maxilla
- Mandible
Most fish reproduce sexually. The female produces eggs, and the male fertilizes them externally with sperm. After the eggs are fertilized, the parent fish usually leaves the eggs to develop and hatch on their own. Most fish eggs are surrounded by a soft egg case that water can pass through. Since fish lay eggs in the water, this means that a fish embryo inside an egg gets the water and oxygen it needs directly from its surroundings. The egg's yoke provides the developing fish food. Fish often lay and fertilize many eggs, but with no protection, few of them survive to maturity.