WFB 232 Ichthyology
Ichthyology assignment #1
Due Mon Jan. 31
Taxonomic nomenclature
Pick a fish species in Vermont, and fill in the following information for it:
Common name _______________________ alternate common name ____________________
Order ______________________________
Family _____________________________
Genus, and species, with name of its discoverer, and date (using correct format for this
information)
_____________________________________________________________________
a junior synonym with the name of its discoverer____________________________________
Another family in the same order __________________________________
Fin structure (spines and rays) of this species in standard notation
____________________________________________________________________________
Suggested resources:
Langdon, R. W., M. T. Ferguson, and K. M. Cox. 2006. Fishes of Vermont. Vermont Agency
of Natural Resources, Waterbury, VT
Scott, W. B. and E. J. Crossman. 1973. Freshwater fishes of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd. Can.
184:966pp.
Page, L. M. and B. M. Burr. 1991. A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes (a Peterson Field
Guide). Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.
Becker, G. C. 1983. Fishes of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison WI
Smith, C. Lavett. 1986. Fishes of New York. Department of Environmental Conservation,
Albany NY
WFB 232 Ichthyology
Which of the following fish is described by D1 VI (V-VII); D2 I + 14-16 (13-16); A 1 + 11-13
(11-14); P 18-19 (17-20).
WFB 232 Ichthyology
Order assignments – first order due Mon Jan. 26
For each order you have been assigned, summarize the following details on NO MORE than one
page (see example). This may be easy with some orders (there may only be a few species in the
entire order) or may be very challenging when there are dozens of families. In the latter case,
you need to summarize the information by finding generalities among the diversity of species in
the order.
NOTE: if you use material from any of the resources verbatim, use quotes and cite the source;
review the plagiarism rules on the syllabus.
Name – what does the name mean? (Latin or Greek roots of the name)
Taxonomic status – Superclass, Class, Order, number of families and genera, representative
families (with common names if they exist), familiar or notable genera or species
(common names ) in each family, local species (if any)
Description – general description of body type, unusual characteristics; describe what particular
characters link the species in this order and differentiate them from other orders
Habitat – fresh or salt water, lakes or rivers, deep or shallow
Distribution – summarize the global range of the order
Ecology and life history – foraging mode, unusual species or habitat interactions
Additional details – any unusual or interesting characteristics of this order; any interaction with
humans (harvested, used in aquaria, dangerous, etc.)
Recent research – find and cite a paper that has been written about one or more of the species in
this order
References used – cite the sources you consulted to obtain your information
Suggested resources:
Paxton, J. R. and W. N. Eshmeyer. 1998. Encyclopedia of fishes 2nd ed. Academic Press.
Moyle, P. B. and J. J Cech. 2000. Fishes, an Introduction to Ichthyology. Prentice Hall
Nelson, J. S. 1994. Fishes of the World. 3rd. ed. Wiley and Sons, New York.
Scott, W. B. and E. J. Crossman. 1973. Freshwater fishes of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd.
Can. 184:966pp.
www.fishbase.com
WFB 232 Ichthyology
Myxiniformes (Greek myx-, ‘slime’)
Taxomony:
Superclass Agnatha – jawless fishes
Class Myxini - hagfishes
Order Myxiniformes
Family Myxinidae
5 genera, ~ 40 species
Description: most primitive vertebrates: degenerate eyes, cartilaginous skeleton, no vertebrae,
no lateral line, jawless, anguilliform shape
gill openings, no paired fins; vestigial caudal fin; 3 pairs of barbels around mouth
isoosmotic (body fluids at same salinity as ocean)
no larval stage (that has been found)
structurally, but not functionally, hermaphroditic
Habitat: Mostly soft bottom habitat
Distribution: marine, temperate zone, intertidal to 5,000 m, mostly 25-1,500 m depths
Ecology and life history: little known of life cycle; produce few, large eggs
scavengers on dead fish; remove flesh with toothed tongue, may slide a knot along their
body to apply pressure on carcass
burrow in soft sediments; often found within fish carcasses
Additional details: Economically important, used for leather and food in Asia
Exude extremely large quantities of slime (“myxin”)
First fossil evidence: Carboniferous, ~340 – 290 MYA
References used:
Bond, C. E. 1996. Biology of Fishes, 2nd. ed. Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth
Moyle, P. B. and J. J Cech. 2000. Fishes, an Introduction to Ichthyology. Prentice Hall
Paxton, J. R. and W. N. Eschmeyer. 1998. Encyclopedia of fishes 2nd ed. Academic Press.
WFB 232 Ichthyology
Petromyzontiformes (Greek petro- (rock) and –myzo (suck))
Taxonomy:
Superclass Agnatha - jawless fishes
Class Cephalaspidomorphi
Order Petromyzontiformes - lampreys
Families Petromyzontidae
8 genera, ~ 40 species
VT species: Ichthyomyzon – single dorsal fin (silver lamprey, northern brook lamprey)
Petromyzon – two dorsal fins (sea lamprey)
Lampetra – fewer circumoral teeth (American brook lamprey)
Description: primitive, jawless, cartilaginous, anguilliform fishes with no scales or paired fins, one or
two dorsal fins and caudal fin, gill pores or slits; vertebrae present
Larvae are a few centimeters long, lack well-developed eye; adults may reach 0.6 m
Mouth of adults is a suction disk with circumoral teeth for attachment, and a few, large, rasping
teeth on a ‘tongue’
Unlike Myxini, they have two semicircular canals, lateral line system, well developed eyes in
adults
Habitat: Anadromous or in streams
Distribution: N. and S. America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe
Ecology and life history: Long larval stage (ammocoetes) in freshwater streams (2-7 years), followed by
short adult stage in fresh or salt water (1 month - 2 years)
Highly fecund (60,000 -300,000 eggs)
Larval forms generally detritus feeders; adults may be parasitic on fish, or non-feeding
Parasitic species undergo metamorphosis, feed in fresh or salt water as juveniles, then return to
streams as adults to spawn.
Non-parasitic species are stream-resident, do not feed after metamorphosis, and spawn soon after
metamorphosis
Parasitic form appears to be the ancestral type
Some Australian species are predatory rather than parasitic
Additional details: lamprey were harvested in Europe for centuries as a delicacy; populations are now
endangered throughout much of Europe due to habitat degradation. Parasitic sea lamprey
(Petromyzon marinus) invaded the Great Lakes in the 1930s and have caused major economic
and ecological damage to fisheries.
References used:
Bond, C. E. 1996. Biology of Fishes, 2nd. ed. Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth
Paxton, J. R. and W. N. Eschmeyer. 1998. Encyclopedia of fishes 2nd ed. Academic Press.
WFB 232 Ichthyology
Anatomy assignment
Briefly define the following, or describe where in a fish you would find it:
e.g. hemal arch: “on ventral side of caudal vertebrae”, or “arch of bone on ventral
surface of caudal vertebrae”
maxilla
nares
pelvic fins
ceratotrichia
adipose fin
hypaxial muscles
hypurals
operculum
otoliths
pterygiophores
cleithrum
centrum
On what kind of fish would you find placoid scales?
What is the function of the zygopophysis and basapophysis?
WFB 232 Ichthyology
Fill in the names of the anatomical parts indicated on the diagram below:
Suggested resources: Cailliet, G., M. Love, and A. Ebeling. 1996. Fishes: a field and laboratory
manual on their structure, identification, and natural history. Waveland Press, Inc.,
Prospect Heights, IL