External Parts Nares (nostrils) – used to detect orders and are very sensitive Mouth - where they take in food and water to breathe, may or may not have teeth Eye - allows the fish to see, can see in color Operculum(gill cover) – protects the gills

Spiky dorsal fin – lends stability for fish when swimming, aids in defense Soft dorsal fin - lends stability for fish when swimming Caudal (tail) fin – main propelling fin

Pectoral fin – side to side movement, located by gills Pelvis fin – aids in steering the fish Scales – protects fish from their environment, they overlap like shingles of a roof to cover the skin Vent - site of waste elimination for fish

Anal fin – helps lend stability in swimming Lateral Line – how the fish “hears”, lets them know what is around them based on pressure, vibration and movement Peduncle – narrow part of body where tail fin is attached

Internal Parts Muscle – provides movement for fish, also part of the fish that is consumed Kidney – filters liquid waste from blood Pyloric Caeca – secretes enzymes that aids in digestion Spinal Cord – connects the brain to the rest of the body and relays sensory information

Spine – primary structural framework for body, runs from skull to tail Brain – control center of fish, where all information is processed Gills – allows the fish to breathe under water Heart – circulates blood throughout the fish

Liver – aids in digestion, storage center for fats and carbohydrates Stomach – breaks down food (digestion) Intestines – aids in digestion and absorbs nutrients Vent – site of waste elimination for fish

Air bladder – a hollow, gas filled chamber that allows the fish to conserve energy while maintaining natural buoyancy Gonads – reproductive organs