Fuck ass fishes exam

"What are the two main subclasses of Chondrichthyes?"

"Holocephali (chimaeras) and Elasmobranchii (sharks, skates, rays)"

"Name the key characteristics of Osteichthyes (bony fishes)."

"1. Bony skeleton (can be secondarily lost in some groups) 2. Gas bladder or lungs 3. Neurocranium with sutures 4. Operculum"

"What defines Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fishes)?"

"Fleshy, lobed fins with internal bones/muscles; bone and muscle extend into the fin"

"What was significant about the coelacanth discovery in 1938?"

"Coelacanths were thought extinct since the Cretaceous (80 Mya) until rediscovered in 1938 (L. chalumnae) and 1998 (L. menadoensis)"

"How do coelacanths reproduce?"

"Lecithotrophic viviparity (ovoviviparous) with embryos developing on yolk sac within mother; longest gestation of any vertebrate (up to 3 years)"

"What is the function of a spiral valve intestine?"

"Increases surface area for nutrient absorption, slows food passage to enhance digestion efficiency, allows for shorter and more compact gut"

"What are the three families of lungfishes?"

"Neoceratodontidae (Australian lungfishes), Lepidosirenidae (South American lungfish), Protopteridae (African lungfishes)"

"How do Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) differ from Sarcopterygii?"

"Actinopterygii have thin, membranous fins supported by fin rays (lepidotrichia) that attach directly to the body, while Sarcopterygii have fleshy, lobed fins with internal bones and muscles"

"What is the unique respiratory adaptation of bichirs?"

"They use spiracular air breathing - opening spiracles (holes behind eyes) at water surface, then closing them and contracting mouth to send air to lungs"

"What are the key anatomical features of sturgeons?"

"Small eyes, 4 barbels, 5 rows of bony scutes, elongated snout with electroreception, toothless protrusible subterminal mouth, spiracles, spiral valve intestine, cartilaginous endoskeleton"

"Which fish is the largest freshwater fish in the world?"

"Beluga Sturgeon (Huso huso), reaching up to 8.6 m long and potentially up to 3.2 tons"

"What distinguishes paddlefish from sturgeon?"

"Paddlefish have paddle-like snout with electroreception, no bony scutes (virtually scaleless), expandable jaw for ram ventilation & feeding, and are midwater filter feeders rather than benthic feeders"

"What is the unifying feature of Elopomorpha?"

"All share transparent, ribbon-like leptocephalus larva"

"What is the 'otophysic' condition in Otocephala?"

"An ear-to-gas-bladder connection"

"What is the Weberian apparatus and what does it do?"

"A series of small bones that connect the swim bladder to the inner ear, amplifying sound vibrations and improving hearing"

"Which fish superorder represents 2/3 of all global freshwater fishes?"

"Superorder Ostariophysi"

"What are defining features of catfishes (Order Siluriformes)?"

"Reduced maxilla, palatine teeth, adipose fin (sometimes with rays/spine), spine-like dorsal & pectoral rays (sometimes toxic or locking), no scales but may have bony plates/tubercles, barbels, often reduced eyes"

"What is the key innovation in the SUPERORDER ACANTHOPTERYGII?"

"Highly mobile and protrusible upper jaw (via ascending process), complex pharyngeal apparatus, and bony non-segmented spines in front of soft rays in dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins"

"What is the function of the ascending process in Acanthopterygii?"

"A bony projection of the premaxilla that extends dorsally toward the skull, allowing the premaxilla to slide forward during jaw protrusion, enhancing suction feeding capabilities"

"Which series within Acanthopterygii is the most diverse?"

"SERIES PERCOMORPHA"

"What is unique about flatfish (Order Pleuronectiformes) development?"

"They begin life as bilaterally symmetrical & pelagic, but during larval period (1-5 days), one eye migrates to the other side, and the fish settles to bottom, lying on its 'blind side'"

"What adaptations do tetraodontiform fishes have for defense?"

"Puffers inflate using water in stomach; porcupinefishes erect spines when inflated; many species contain potent neurotoxins (tetrodotoxin); triggerfishes have spine-locking mechanism; thick, leathery skin with modified scales forming spines, plates, or ossicles"

"How is the Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) unique?"

"No ribs, pelvic fins, swimbladder, or true caudal tail; has pseudocaudal tail fin (mostly dorsal & anal fin rays); can reach 3m long, 4.2m high, and 2300kg; can produce 300 million eggs"

"What cartilaginous fish group is called 'whole head' and why?"

"Holocephali (chimaeras) - called 'whole head' because their upper jaws are attached to the brain case (non-protrusible)"

"How do cartilaginous fishes maintain buoyancy without a swim bladder?"

"They use lipid-filled livers (containing squalene) for buoyancy"

"What unique osmoregulation strategy do elasmobranchs use?"

"They retain high concentrations of urea and TMAO (trimethylamine oxide) - urea increases osmolarity of body fluids but is toxic, while TMAO stabilizes proteins and counteracts urea's harmful effects"

"What are the two major subdivisions of Elasmobranchii?"

"Subdivision Selachii (Sharks) and Subdivision Batoidea (Skates and rays)"

"How do skates differ from rays?"

"Skates lack caudal stinging spine, have dorsal fin(s) near tip of tail, pelvic fin with 2 lobes, enlarged denticles on dorsal surface, are oviparous (lay eggs), swim by 'flapping' pectoral fins, and have malar spines (near eyes) and alar spines (on pectoral fins)"

"What makes the Greenland shark notable?"

"It lives 272 to 500 years, possibly making it the longest-lived vertebrate"

"What are the reproductive modes found in elasmobranchs?"

"Oviparous (egg-laying) and viviparous (live-bearing, including oophagy/embryophagy, placental viviparity, and uterine viviparity)"

"Why are sharks particularly vulnerable to overfishing?"

"Life history attributes, including slow maturation, relatively few offspring, and cross-border migration; most populations cannot sustain more than 5% fishing mortality (compared to 50-70% target in many bony fish fisheries)"

"What is the unifying characteristic of Osteoglossomorpha?"

"'Bony tongue' with teeth on tongue and palate"

"Which fish family produces weak electric discharges for navigation/communication?"

"Family Mormyridae (Elephantfishes)"

"What fish has second set of pharyngeal jaws to grasp prey?"

"Moray eels (Family Muraenidae)"

"Which order includes mullets and what are their key traits?"

"Order Mugiliformes; key traits include two widely separated dorsal fins, small triangular mouth with small/absent teeth, subabdominal pelvic fins, muscular stomach (gizzard-like), and pelvic girdle with no connection to pectoral girdle"

"What characterizes the order Beloniformes?"

"Elongate jaws or protrusible lower jaw for surface feeding; includes needlefishes, halfbeaks, and flyingfishes (can glide for several hundred meters)"

"Which fish is known for having eyes half out of water?"

"Anableps anableps (four-eyed fish), with pupil divided in half, each specialized for forming images in either air or water"

"Which group of fishes includes species that can live over 100 years?"

"Order Beryciformes, specifically orange roughy (Trachichthyidae)"

"How do swamp eels (Order Synbranchiformes) adapt to low-oxygen environments?"

"Many breathe air using vascularized pharynx or skin, can survive in hypoxic or dried-out conditions, have eel-like bodies adapted for burrowing in oxygen-poor environments"

"What percentage of all fish species are teleosts?"

"96% of all living fishes"

"What percentage of all fish species are Perciformes?"

"Over 1/3 of all fish species (>10,000 species)"

"What is the conservation status of both coelacanth species?"

"Critically endangered (IUCN)"

"What does it mean to be physoclistous?"

"Having a gas bladder that is closed (no connection to gut)"

"What fish group represents the pinnacle of teleost evolution and why?"

"Tetraodontiformes - due to specialized traits including fusion of many bones, reduction/loss of some skeletal elements, beak-like jaw structure, and specialized defense mechanisms"

"How do sharks replace their teeth?"

"New teeth continually form and move forward, with replacement occurring every 2-28 days; some sharks may lose 30,000 teeth over lifetime; new teeth are larger than old ones"

"What are the Ampullae of Lorenzini and what do they detect?"

"Specialized electroreceptor organs that detect electric fields produced by prey and can aid in navigation"

"Which shark has been documented traveling from South Africa to Australia and back?"

"A white shark traveled 22,000 km round-trip from South Africa to Australia and back"

"What adaptation allows some flatfish to change color?"

"Flatfish adapt their coloration through chromatophores, specialized pigment-bearing cells in their skin"

"How do Actinopterygians and Sarcopterygians differ in their evolutionary trajectory?"

"Actinopterygii diversified as ray-finned fishes, while Sarcopterygii gave rise to tetrapods (amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals)"

"What are the key characteristics of Teleosts?"

"Neural arches of tail elongated into fused uroneural bones supporting upper lobe of (typically) homocercal caudal fin, and mobile premaxilla (not fused to cranium) that allows forward projection of mouth for suction feeding"

"How do cartilaginous and bony fishes differ in their skeletal composition?"

"Cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes) have a skeleton primarily of cartilage with minimal calcification, while bony fishes (Osteichthyes) have an ossified skeleton"

"Which fish has a specialized rostral organ for electrodetection?"

"Coelacanths have a unique rostral organ - an electro-detector in the snout"

"What is Schreckstoff and what reaction does it cause?

A substance produced by Ostariophysi fishes that, when released due to injury, causes an alarm reaction (Schreckreaktion) in conspecifics"

"What are the two superorders of Selachii (sharks)?

Superorder Galeomorphi ('Shark form', have anal fin) and Superorder Squalomorphi ('Dogfish form', generally no anal fin)"

"What is the special adaptation of the cookie-cutter shark?

It takes cookie-shaped bites out of larger marine animals, using its specialized jaw and teeth to remove circular plugs of flesh"

"What are the four orders in the Galeomorphi superorder?

1. Heterodontiformes (bullhead sharks), 2. Orectolobiformes (carpet sharks), 3. Lamniformes (mackerel sharks), 4. Carcharhiniformes (ground or requiem sharks)"

"What is regional heterothermy in sharks?

The ability of some sharks (like mackerel sharks) to maintain body parts warmer than the surrounding water, usually keeping muscles, brain, or eyes warmer for improved function"

"What is the nictating membrane found in Carcharhiniformes?

A protective eyelid that can cover the eye, similar to a third eyelid"

"How are sawsharks and sawfishes different?

Sawsharks (Pristiophoriformes) have gill openings on the sides and rostral barbels, while sawfishes (Pristiformes) have gill slits on the ventral surface and no barbels"

"Which order of rays includes species that can produce electric discharges up to 220 volts?

Torpediniformes (electric rays)"

"What is the difference between ram ventilation and buccal pumping in sharks?

Ram ventilation requires sharks to swim with mouth open to force water over gills, while buccal pumping allows stationary sharks to actively pump water over gills using throat muscles"

"What are ceratotrichia and where are they found?

Soft, keratinous, unbranched and unsegmented fin rays found in cartilaginous fishes"

"What is the main difference between placoid scales and other fish scales?

Placoid scales are essentially dermal 'teeth' with blood supply, unlike the dead structures of most fish scales"

"What transformation occurs to a flatfish's inner ear during metamorphosis?

The inner ears (semicircular canals) rotate 90º to accommodate the fish's new orientation"

"What is oophagy in shark reproduction?

A form of intrauterine cannibalism where developing embryos consume unfertilized eggs produced by the mother during gestation"

"How do lungfishes survive during dry periods?

Through aestivation in burrows, where they can slow metabolism and survive in a cocoon of mucus until water returns"

"What is special about the leptocephalus larva of elopomorphs?

These transparent, ribbon-like larvae can live 2-3 years, feed on marine snow or gelatinous zooplankton, and enable wide dispersal"

"What is the catadromous lifecycle seen in freshwater eels?

They spawn in the ocean (Sargasso Sea), larvae drift with currents to continental shores, transform into elvers that move into freshwater, mature there, then return to the sea to spawn"

"What is the significance of the spiral valve intestine in primitive fishes?

It's an ancestral trait found in cartilaginous fishes and primitive bony fishes that increases nutrient absorption surface area without increasing gut length"

"What percentage of all living fishes are in the class Actinopterygii?

About 96% (approximately 26,000 species)"

"What is special about Elephantfishes' brain?

They have an exceptionally large brain-to-body ratio, one of the largest among vertebrates"

"What is a diphycercal caudal fin and which fish has it?

A three-lobed caudal fin found in coelacanths"

"What specialized adaptation for feeding do Tetraodontiformes have?

Fusion of jaw bones into beak-like structure for feeding on hard-shelled prey"

"What is the significance of the operculum in bony fishes?

It covers and protects the gills, helps with respiration by creating pressure differences for water flow across gills"

"Which shark order has 6 or 7 pairs of gill slits?

Hexanchiformes (cow and frill sharks)"

"What type of scales do bowfin have?

Cycloid scales"

"What is the adaptive significance of the paddle-like snout in paddlefish?

It contains electroreceptors that help detect plankton (zooplankton) which is their primary food source"

"How do moray eels use their second set of pharyngeal jaws?

They rapidly project these jaws forward into the oral cavity to grasp prey and pull it into the throat, solving the problem of generating suction in their narrow heads"

"What is the function of the males' ocellus (eye-spot) in bowfin?

It may serve as a lure to attract prey or as a visual signal to other bowfins, particularly during spawning season"

"What are the adaptations of deep-sea fishes in the family Saccopharyngidae?

Massive expandable jaws/stomachs that can swallow prey larger than themselves; lack typical fish features (pelvic fins, scales, ribs, opercular bones); some have bioluminescent tail tips possibly used as lures"

"How do flyingfishes (family Exocoetidae) achieve gliding?

With enlarged pectoral fins that act as wings, powerful tail thrust to gain speed, and ability to vibrate their tail while airborne to extend glide distance"

"How do remoras attach to their hosts?

With a modified dorsal fin that forms a suction disc on top of their head"

"What is the function of the vomerine teeth in tarpon?

Tarpons have very small teeth on a plate (vomer) in the roof of the mouth that help grip slippery prey items"

"Why is the adipose fin significant in some fish groups?

It's a small, fleshy fin behind the dorsal fin without rays, found in many primitive teleosts; its presence or absence helps identify taxonomic groups"