Miranda Miller Gabreal Preisendorfer Period 3

General Information Fish are water dwelling creatures Fish are vertebrates and breathe using gills There are more than 24,000 species of fish Fish first appeared 500 million years ago

Characteristics Bony fish have bony skeletons. Rays and sharks have skeletons made of cartilage All fish have a complete digestive tract that includes a mouth, anus, and a digestive system with specialized organs Sexual reproduction, mostly external fertilization

Bony Fish Phylum Name- Osteichthyes Have glands that secrete mucus to glide through the water Types: Ray finned, Lob finned, and Lung fish Have swim bladder to help them keep afloat

Bony Fish con’t Most are egg layers Can become sexually mature at different ages depending on the species Fertilization can be internal or external

Sharks and Rays Phylum name- Chondrichthyes Sharks Have rows of sensory organs running along each side of the body (lateral line) Must swim constantly to avoid sinking (no swim bladder) Swift swimmers

Sharks and Rays con’t Made of powerful muscle and cartilage They digest food by using there teeth to tear and crush food Rays Scoop food up with there mouths along the ocean floor Bottom dwellers

Sharks and Rays con’t They feed by using there jaws to crush mollusks Tails are whip-like Poison spines that function for ocean defense

Examples of Fish Clown fish Tuna Sting rays Eels Trout Carp salmon

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