WFB 3610: Fish Families

Petromyzontidae

Anguilliform

No distinct jaws (sucking disc)

No paired fins or scales

7 pairs of gill openings

Ex. Northern Brook Lamprey, Sea Lamprey

Acipenseridae

Heterocercal tail

Posterior dorsal fin

Inferior mouth

Inferior barbels

5 rows of bony scutes

Ex. Lake Sturgeon

Lepisosteidae

Ganoid scales

Long, toothed jaws

Cylindrical body

Rounded caudal (abbreviated heterocercal)

Amiidae

Dorsal fin greater than half the body length

Tubular nostrils

Rounded tail (abbreviated heterocercal)

Ex. Bowfin

Anguillidae

Anguilliform

Dorsal fin extends over more than half of body

Continuous dorsal, caudal, and anal fin

Embedded scales

No pelvic fin

Ex. Americal Eel

Clupeidae

Fusiform, round to strongly compressed body

Keeled row of scutes along midline

Single dorsal fin midbody

Forked caudal

Small terminal mouth

Shiny cycloid scales

Ex. Herrings, Shad

Hiodontidae

Silvery, compressed shape

Enlarged teeth on tounge

Large eyes

Single dorsal

Forked caudal

Salmonidae

Streamlined, torpedo-shaped

Single dorsal (no spines)

Adipose fine

Truncate to forked caudal

Ex. Brook Trout, Atlantic Salmon

Osmeridae

Small to midsized slender body

Single dorsal

Adipose fin

Often incomplete lateral line

Ex. Rainbow Smelt

Esocidae

Long torpedo-shaped body

Duck-bill like snout

Forked caudal

Single posteriorly seated dorsal fin

Large mouth, teethy

Ex. Northern Pike

Cyprinidae

Leusiscidae

Catostomidae

Subterminal mouth

Papillose mouth (sucker mouth with fleshy lips)

One dorsal fin with soft rays

Forked Caudal

Ex. White Sucker

Ictaluridae

Scaleless

Four pairs of barbels

Adipose fin

Strong spines on dorsal and pectoral fins

Broad, flattened head

Ex. Channel Catfish

Percopsidae

Small body

Adipose fin

Subabdominal pelvic fin

Rough-edged ctenoid scales

Dark polka dots on upper body

Ex. Trout-perch

Lotidae

Elongated body

Two dorsal fins (second extremely long)

Pair of chin barbels

Jugular pelvic fins

Rounded caudal

Anal fin as long as second dorsal

Small scales (looks scaleless)

Ex. Burbot

Umbridae

Tightly attached upper lip

Rounded tail

Ex. Central Mudminnow

Fundulidae

Protrusible upper lip

Squared caudal

Ex. Banded Killifish

Atherinidae

Elongated body

Two dorsal fins (first very short)

Forked caudal

Long anal fin

Ex. Brook Silverside

Gasterosteidae

2-7 unconnected dorsal spines followed by a dorsal fin

Anal fin with a single spine

Pelvic fin has a single spine and a ray

Ex. Brook Stickleback

Cottidae

Large eyes that sit high on head

Head flattened dorso-ventrally

Two narrowly connected dorsal fins

First dorsal has soft spines, second soft rays

No scales

Ex. Slimy Sculpin

Moronidae

First dorsal fin has spines

Second dorsal has one spine and 10-13 rays

Dorsals connected by small membrane

Large mouth

Ex. White Perch

Centrarchidae

Laterally compressed body

First dorsal with spines, second with rays

Dorsals connected (can be hard to differentiate)

Relatively large scales

Ctenoid scales

Ex. Pumpkinseed, Smallmouth Bass

Percidae

Fusiform

First dorsal with spines, second with rays

Dorsals not connected

Ctenoid scales

Ex. Logperch, Yellow Perch

Sciaenidae

Humped back

Rounded caudal

First dorsal spines, second single spine then rays

Ex. Freshwater Drum