SURVEY OF MAJOR GROUPS OF FISHES IN ILLINOIS

           

Today's laboratory is designed to familiarize you with the great morphological diversity found in fishes and to acquaint you with most of the major families of fishes in Illinois.

           

Throughout the laboratory we have placed on display identified specimens representing a variety of the fishes found in the state.  You should study each specimen and,  and with the aid of your textbooks, develop a classification for each fish.  In addition determine and write under family, the external characteristics which places this species in the designated family. Please do not look for any internal characteristic.  Since many of these specimens are irreplaceable they cannot be dissected and you will just have to take on faith that the internal characters are as outlined in your textbook.

 

Species        Family       Order          Infraclass         Subclass          Class          Superclass         

 

Characteristics of major groups of living fishes

 

 I.   Class Cephalaspidomorphi

               No jaws, no paired fins, no true teeth, single median nostril, no horizontal semicircular canal, and cartilaginous skeleton.

 

            Order Petromyzoniformes

Nostril empties into nasal sac and does not reach pharynx, no barbels, sucker-like mouth, well developed eyes, two vertical semicircular canals and distinct metamorphosis from ammocoetes to adult.

 

            Order Myxiniformes

Nostril extends to pharynx, 6 fleshy barbels around mouth, mouth not sucker-like, eyes degenerate, one vertical semicircular canal and no metamorphosis.

 

II.   Class Elasmobranchii

            Jaws, paired fins, paired nostrils, 3 semicircular canals including one horizontal canal, cartilaginous skeleton, upper jaw is always formed from palatoquadrate cartilage with serially replaceable teeth, scales tooth-like (placoid), fin supports hair like horny rays (ceratotrichia), no swimbladder, internal fertilization and retention of urea in blood for salt balance.  gill slits 5 -7, and upper jaw not fused to cranium.

 

III.  Class Holocephali

Same as Elasmobranchii except single gill slit, and upper jaw fused to cranium.

 

IV.  Class Osteichthyes

Jaws, paired fins, paired nostrils, 3 semicircular canals including one horizontal canal, bony skeleton, upper jaw normally with tooth-bearing premaxillae or maxillae, scales not tooth-like, fin supports large jointed rays ro spines, swimbladder commonly present (occasionally lost), generally eggs fertilized externally (occasionally internal fertilization), and no retention of urea in blood.

 

            Subclass Crossopterygii

Fin with axial bony support overlain by fleshy scale covered lobe.  Cloaca and internal nares absent.

 

            Subclass Dipnoi

            Same as Crossopterygii except internal nares and cloaca present.

 

            Subclass Actinopterygii

            Fin with no axial bony support

 

            Infraclass Chondrostei

            Spiracle, maxilla attached to cheek, jaws elongate, and heterocercal tail.

 

            Infraclass Holostei

            No spiracle, maxilla free of cheek, jaws generally not elongate, and abbreviate heterocercal tail.

 

            Infraclass Teleostei

            No spiracle, maxilla free of cheek, jaws not elongate, and homocercal tail.

 

                 Division I (Elopiformes, Anguilliformes, Notacanthiformes, and

                                  Clupeiformes); Maxillary enters gape, pneumatic duct,                                                   leptocephalus larva

 

                Division II (Osteoglossiformes and Mormyriformes); Maxillary enters gape in                                            most genera but not all, pneumatic duct, and no le ptocephalus                                                      larva

 

                 Division III (rest of Teleosts); Premaxillary dominates gape, pneumatic duct                                         disappears in more advanced forms, an no leptocephalus larva

                       

               Protacanthopterygii (Salmoniformes, Cetomimiformes, Ctenothrissiformes and Gonorynchiformes)

 

               Ostariophysi (Cypriniformes and Siluriformes)

 

               Paracanthopterygii (Percopsiformes, Batrachoidiformes, Gobiesoriformes,                                                   Lophiiformes,and Gadiformes)

 

               Atherinomorpha (Atheriniformes)

 

               Acanthopterygii (Res of Division III)

 

A CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES

Subphylum Vertebrata

   Superclass Agnatha

      Class Cephalaspidomorphi

                        Order Cephalaspidiformes (Fossil)

Order Petromyzoniformes (Lamprey)

Order Anaspidiformes (Fossil)

Order Myxiniformes (Hag fish)

      Class Pteraspidomorphi (Fossil)

Order Pteraspidiformes

Order Thelodontiformes

   Superclass Gnathostomata

      Class Placodermi (Fossil)

Order Arthrodiriformes

Order Ptyctodontiformes

Order Phyllolepiformes

Order Petalichthyiformes

Order Rhenaniformes

Order Antiarchiformes

      Class Elasmobranchii

Order Cladoselachiformes (Fossil)

Order Cladodontiformes (Fossil)

Order Xenacanthiformes (Fossil)

Order Ctenacanthiformes (Fossil)

Order Hybodontiformes (Fossil)

Order Heterdontiformes (Bullhead Shark)

Order Hexanchiformes (frill Shark)

Order Lamniformes (Whale and White Shark)

Order Squaliformes (Dogfish Shark)

Order Rajiformes (Skates and rays)

Order Helicoprioniformes (Fossil)

Order Bradyodontiformes (fossil)

      Class Holocephali

Order Chimaeriformes (Chimaera)

      Class Acanthodii (Fossil)                               

Order Acanthodiformes

Order Ischancanthiformes

Order Climatiiformes

      Class Osteichthyes

        Subclass Crossopterygii

Order Porolepiformes (Fossil)

Order Osteolepiformes (Fossil)

Order Rhizodontiformes (Fossil)

Order Struniiformes (Fossil)

Order Coelacanthiformes (Coelacanth)

        Subclass Dipnoi

Order Ceratodiformes (Australian Lungfish)

Order Lepidosireniformes (African and So. Americna Lungfish)

        Subclass Actinopterygii

          Infraclass Chondrostei

Order Polypteriformes (Bichir)

Order Palaeonisciformes (Fossil)

Order Acipenseriformes (Sturgeon)

          Infraclass Holostei

Order Amiiformes (Bowfin)

Order Lepisosteiformes (Gar)

          Infraclass Teleostei

            Division I

Order Clupeiformes (herring)

Order Elopiformes (tarpon and bonefish)

Order Anguilliformes (eels)

Order Notacanthiformes (spiny eels)

            Division II

Order Osteoglossiformes (bony tongues and moon eyes)

            Division III

Order Salmoniformes (salmon and pike)

                              Order Gonorynchoiformes (milkfish)

Order Cypriniformes (minnows and catfish)

Order Myctophiformes (lanternfish)

Order Cetomimiformes (cetomimids)

Order Beloniformes (needle fish and flying fish)

Order Cyprinodontiformes (killifish and live bearers)

Order Gasterosteiformes (sticklebacks)

Order Lampridiformes (ribbon fish)

Order Beryciformes (lantern and squirrel fish)

Order Zeiformes (dories)

Order Mugiliformes (mullet, barracuda, and silversides)

Order Perciformes (bass, drum, snapper, etc.)

Order Gobiesociformes (cling fish)

Order Tetraodontiformes (puffers)

Order Pleuronectiformes (flounder)

Order Scorpaeniformes (rock fish)

Order Mastacembelliformes (mastacembellid eels)

Order Synbranchiformes (swamp ells)

Order Dactylopteriformes (flying gurnards)

Order Percopsiformes (trout perch, pirate perch)

Order Gadiformes (codfish)

Order Lophiiformes (angler fish)                        

                       

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