ESS 345 Ichthyology

Fish diversity and classification

Quote of the Day: There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved. -Charles Darwin, English naturalist (1809 – 1882). Quick Quiz

Describe in a sentence the largest physiographic province in PA (5 EC points) Physiographic Provinces

Blue Ridge Coastal Plain Objectives

Define fish Classify and ID the important fishes at the family level

Describe significant traits, relationships, ecology, biology, importance, conservation, life history, status, etc. of each family Importance of fish

Resources Fascination – Food Evolution – Medicine Recreation – Fertilizer Enjoyment – Jewelry Economy – Tools Aquaria – Fuel Env indicators Threats (poisons, pests, parasites) Human conflict http://www.nativefishsociety.org/

http://www.nanfa.org/ So, what is a Fish?

What are the common features? What is a FISH?

Aquatic Gill Breathing Poikilotherm Vertebrate/Craniate Fins Fish - definition

Difficult – Long evolutionary history – Diverse and adapt – We don’t have all the info

Berra (1981): a poikilothermic, aquatic chordate with appendages (when present) developed as fins, whose chief respiratory organs are gills and whose body is usually covered by scales Fish Classification

Binomial Name – E.g. Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque 1819 – E.g. Lepomis megalotis (Rafinesque) 1820 Lepomis = scale shoulder megalotis = large ear Fish Classification

The system is meant to: Classification in General

Kingdom – Phylum Class – Order Family Genus Species That is, genealogical relationships Fish Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata – Class Myxini Hagfish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmaal7Hf0WA Subphylum: Craniata / Vertebrata Superclass: Agnatha – Class: Lamprey (Cyclostomata) Order: Petromyzontiformes

Family: Petromyzontidae Superclass: Gnathostomata – Class: Chondrychthys (Cartilaginous fishes) – Class: Osteichthyes (Bony fishes) (Actinopterygii) 24,000 living forms Largest class of vertebrates Subclasses of Osteichthyes

Sarcopterygii (lobe finned fishes)

Actinopterygii (ray finned fishes)** – Infraclass Chondrostei (sturgeons, paddlefishes) Order Acipenseriformes – Acipenseridae

– Polyodontidae

– Infraclass Neopterygii (modern ray finned fishes) A few diverse lineages (next slide) Division Teleostei – main line Two lineages that are difficult to place Order Lepisosteiformes – Lepisosteidae

Order Amiiformes – Amiidae

Longnose Gar Teleosts

Order: Anguilliformes – Anguillidae

Order: Clupeiformes – Clupeidae – Threadfin and gizzard shad (Dorosoma) – Alewife and American shad (Alosa) Teleosts

Order Cypriniformes – Cyprinidae

– Catostomidae Teleosts

Order Siluriformes – Ictaluridae Catfishes (Ictalurus) Bullheads (Ameiurus) Madtoms (Noturus)

Pylodictis olivaris Teleosts

Order Esociformes – Esocidae: (Esox) – Pike, pickerel, musky – Mud minnows

Esox lucius (northern pike) Teleosts

Order Salmoniformes – Salmonidae 3 species in 3 genera Oncorhynchus mykiss Salmo trutta Salvelinus fontinalis

Teleosts

Order Cyprinodontiformes – Fundulidae – killifishes / topminnows – Poeciliidae – topminnows / livebearers

– Cyprinodontidae - pupfishes Teleosts

Order Gasterosteiformes – Gasterosteidae – Cottidae

Cottus bairdi Teleost are:

A. Lobed fin fishes B. Boney fishes C. Primitive ray finned fishes D. Boney fishes with cartilaginous skeletons E. Sharks, skates, and rays Teleosts

Order Perciformes – Moronidae

White Perch

Striped bass, rock fish

White bass Teleosts

Pomoxis nigromaculatus Order Perciformes – Centrarchidae Lepomis Pomoxis Micropterus Micropterus salmoides

Pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus

Not every sunfish is a bluegill Teleosts

Order Perciformes Etheostoma blennioides – Percidae

– Channidae Perca Sander vitreus Northern Snakehead (Channa argus) Quick Quiz

What is an adipose fin? Name 2 families that have one. What’s the largest fish family?

1. Minnow 2. Temperate Basses 3. Sunfishes 4. Darter 5. Perch 6. Sucker Largest FW family indigenous to N. America?

1. Minnow 2. Perch 3. Sucker 4. Catfish 5. Shad 6. FW eels Second largest family indigenous to NA

1. Pike 2. Salmon 3. Perch 4. Pupfish 5. Sunfish 6. Bowfin Why are they indigenous to N.A.?