Name: Date:

Worksheet 2: Fish Morphology

Fish Morphology, Part 1: Cross-Sectional Body Shape

Instructions: Fill in the table on fish cross-sectional body shape.

Cross-Sectional Shipwreck Name Example Characteristics Body Shape Habitat

Streamlined. Water Fast-swimmer. column Fusiform Often in water- above column. shipwreck.

(Ex: Yellow-fin tuna)

Quick speeds for short distances. Around and Not always Compressed in wreck moving because structure. use bursts of speed.

(Ex: Tautog)

Swim along bottom like a Bottom of Depressed flying bird. shipwreck or These are nearby sand. bottom-dwellers.

(Ex: Gulf flounder)

Not good Crevices in Anguilliform swimmers. shipwrecks. Ribbon shaped.

(Ex: Conger eel)

Lesson Plan -- Shipwrecks of NC: Where do the fish live? -- Avery B Paxton

Fish Morphology, Part 2: Caudal Fin Shape

Instructions: Fill in the table on fish caudal fin shape.

Cross-Sectional Shipwreck Name Example Characteristics Body Shape Habitat

Short bursts of Around speed. High and in Rounded maneuverability. wreck Lots of drag. structure.

(Ex: Queen Angelfish) Short bursts of speed. Good maneuverability. Not as much Bottom of Truncated drag as rounded. shipwreck. These are usually bottom- (Ex: Yellowedge Grouper) dwellers.

Good speed over longer distances. Around Good and in Forked maneuverability. wreck Less drag than structure. truncated. (Ex: Sheepshead)

High speed over long distances. Water Poor column Lunate maneuverability. above Rigid with less shipwreck. surface area and

(Ex: Blue runner) less drag.

Lesson Plan -- Shipwrecks of NC: Where do the fish live? -- Avery B Paxton Fish Morphology, Part 3: NC Shipwrecks

Instructions: Indicate the morphological characteristics of each fish species. Use your understanding of morphology to decide where each fish would live on a shipwreck.

Cross-Sectional Caudal Fin Fish Shipwreck Habitat Body Shape Shape Spottail pinfish (Diplodus holbrooki)

Schools around wreck Compressed Forked structure.

Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili) Fusiform Lunate Water column above wreck

Summer Flounder (Paralichthys denatus) Depressed Rounded Sand around wreck

Tomtate (Haemulon aurolineatum)

Schools around wreck Compressed Forked structure

Oyster Toadfish (Opsanus tau)

Compressed Rounded Hides in shipwreck

Lesson Plan -- Shipwrecks of NC: Where do the fish live? -- Avery B Paxton Gag Grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis)

Compressed Truncate Hides in shipwreck

Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata)

Bottom, including Compressed Rounded sand around wreck

Round Scad (Decapterus punctuatus)

Fusiform Lunate Water column above wreck

Belted Sandfish (Serranus subligarius)

Compressed Truncate Hides in shipwreck

Goldentail Moray (Gymnothorax miliaris)

Anguilliform N/A Hides in shipwreck

Lesson Plan -- Shipwrecks of NC: Where do the fish live? -- Avery B Paxton

Name: ANSWER KEY Date:

Worksheet 2: Fish Morphology

Fish Morphology, Part 1: Cross-Sectional Body Shape

Instructions: Fill in the table on fish cross-sectional body shape.

Cross-Sectional Shipwreck Name Example Characteristics Body Shape Habitat

Streamlined. Water Fast-swimmer. column Fusiform Often in water- above column. shipwreck.

(Ex: Yellow-fin tuna)

Quick speeds for short distances. Around and Not always Compressed in wreck moving because structure. use bursts of speed.

(Ex: Tautog) Swim along bottom like a Bottom of flying bird. Depressed shipwreck or These are nearby sand. bottom- dwellers. (Ex: Gulf flounder)

Not good Crevices in Anguilliform swimmers. shipwrecks. Ribbon shaped.

(Ex: Conger eel)

Lesson Plan -- Shipwrecks of NC: Where do the fish live? -- Avery B Paxton

Fish Morphology, Part 2: Caudal Fin Shape

Instructions: Fill in the table on fish caudal fin shape.

Caudal Fin Shape Name Example Characteristics Shipwreck Habitat Rounded Short bursts of Around speed. High and in maneuverability. wreck Lots of drag. structure.

(Ex: Queen Angelfish) Truncated Short bursts of Bottom of speed. Good shipwreck. maneuverability. Not as much drag as rounded. These are

(Ex: Yellowedge Grouper) usually bottom- dwellers.

Forked Good speed over Around longer distances. and in Good wreck maneuverability. structure. Less drag than truncated. (Ex: Sheepshead)

Lunate High speed over Water long distances. column Poor above maneuverability. shipwreck. Rigid with less surface area and less drag. (Ex: Blue runner)

Lesson Plan -- Shipwrecks of NC: Where do the fish live? -- Avery B Paxton Fish Morphology, Part 3: NC Shipwrecks

Instructions: Indicate the morphological characteristics of each fish species. Use your understanding of morphology to decide where each fish would live on a shipwreck.

Cross-Sectional Caudal Fin Fish Shipwreck Habitat Body Shape Shape Spottail pinfish (Diplodus holbrooki)

Schools around wreck Compressed Forked structure.

Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili) Fusiform Lunate Water column above wreck

Summer Flounder (Paralichthys denatus) Depressed Rounded Sand around wreck

Tomtate (Haemulon aurolineatum)

Schools around wreck Compressed Forked structure

Oyster Toadfish (Opsanus tau)

Compressed Rounded Hides in shipwreck

Lesson Plan -- Shipwrecks of NC: Where do the fish live? -- Avery B Paxton Gag Grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis)

Compressed Truncate Hides in shipwreck

Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata)

Bottom, including sand Compressed Rounded around wreck

Round Scad (Decapterus punctuatus)

Fusiform Lunate Water column above wreck

Belted Sandfish (Serranus subligarius)

Compressed Truncate Hides in shipwreck

Goldentail Moray (Gymnothorax miliaris)

Anguilliform N/A Hides in shipwreck

Lesson Plan -- Shipwrecks of NC: Where do the fish live? -- Avery B Paxton

Lesson Plan -- Shipwrecks of NC: Where do the fish live? -- Avery B Paxton