Fish Morphology

What is fusiform?

A torpedo-shaped body

What is globiform?

A globe-shaped body

What is anguilliform?

A serpentine shaped body

What is filiform?

A thread-like body shape

What is compressed?

a laterally flattened body shape

What is trachipteriform?

laterally flattened and elongated body shape

What is depressed?

The top and bottom of the body is squeezed together

What are soft rays?

fins that have slender, flexible structures composed of many boney joints

What are hard rays?

fins that are composed of groups of soft rays fused together into long, stiff structures

What are spines?

Thick, stiff structures that usually extend beyond the margin of the fin

What is a caudal fin?

A fin at the rear of the body

What is a Diphycercal fin?

Dorsal and ventral lobes of caudal fin about equal in size

What is a Heterocercal fin?

Spine tilts upward at end body and enters the dorsal lobe of tail

What is a Hypocercal fin?

Spine tilts downward and enters the ventral lobe of tail

What is a Homocercal fin?

Vertebral column ends at the base of tail fin. lobes of fine equal in size.

Where is the dorsal fin?

Extends upward along midline of back

Where is the anal fin?

Median ventral fin located just posterior to anus

What is the adipose fine?

A fin that is characteristic of trout and catfish. It is present on the midline of the body behind the dorsal fin.

Where are the pectoral fins?

Located laterally on shoulder girdle

Where are the pelvic fins located?

anterior to the anal opening

What are ganoid scales?

hard, round, or diamond shaped scales that do not overlap

What are placoid scales?

scales that are like tiny teeth

What are Elasmoid scales?

Round, thin, overlapping scales that are somewhat flexible.

Cycloid scales are smooth scales. Ctenoid scales have comb like projections.

What are the two types of Elasmoid scales?

• Abdominal- anterior to the anus

• Thoracic- near or under the pectoral fins

• Jugular- Anterior to the pectoral fins

What are the three placements of the pelvic fin?

• American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

• American Fisheries Society

What are the professional organizations and publications related to fish?