Name ___________________________________ Lab 9 - An introduction to marine fishes NOTE: these taxonomic groups have many more species than those shown today; each specimen is but a representative of its particular family or order. PLEASE HANDLE SPECIMENS CAREFULLY!!!! Superclass Agnatha (jawless fishes; ~80 spp.) Class Myxini Order Myxiniformes Family Myxinidae; Hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) Class Cephalaspidomorphi Order Petromyzontiformes Family Petromyzontidae; Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) 1) What are some key differences between Myxinids and Petromyzontids? Superclass Gnathostomata (jawed fishes) Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes) Subclass Elasmobranchii (shark-like fishes; 800 spp) Order Squatiniformes; Angel shark (Squatina dumerili) Order Squaliformes; Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) Order Rajiformes; Clearnose skate (Raja eglanteria), Guitarfish (Rhinobatos sp.) Subclass Holocephali (chimaeras; 30 spp) Order Chimaeriformes; Spotted chimaera (Hydrolagus colliei) 2) What are two features that clearly distinguish the order Rajiformes (skates) from sharks? 3) Where in the water column would you expect to find a chimaera? Why? Class Teleostomi (bony fishes) Superorder Clupeomorpha Order Clupeiformes Family Clupeidae; Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) Family Engraulidae; Anchovy (Anchoa nasuta) 4) What characteristics most clearly separate these two families? 5) These fishes tend to travel in schools. What purpose might the silvery stripe down their sides serve? (Hint: think about this from the perspective of a predator!) Superorder Elopomorpha Order Anguilliformes Family Muraenidae; Moray eel (Gymnothorax nigromarginatus) Family Anguillidae; American eel (Anguilla rostrata) 6) Compare and contrast these two types of eels. How do their fins compare? Their teeth? Superorder Stenopterygii Order Stomiiformes Family Sternoptychidae; Hatchetfish (Argyopelecus lynchus) Superorder Aulopomorpha Order Aulopiformes Family Synodontidae; Lizardfish (Trachinocephalus myops) Superorder Myctophomorpha Order Myctophiformes Family Myctophidae; Lanternfish (Lampanyctus mexicanus) 7) The orders Stomiiformes and Myctophiformes all live in similar habitats. What are the most striking characteristics of these fishes? Based on those characteristics, in which ocean habitat zone would you expect these fishes to live? 8) Hatchetfish and lanternfish are among the most abundant fishes on the face of the Earth. Why might that be? (Hint: think about your answer to #7, and what you’ve learned about the different types of oceanic habitats.) 9) The fishes in #8 are often caught at night in near-surface waters. Does that change your answer to #8? Why? 10) Look at the body and mouth of the lizardfish. Where do you think it lives, and what does it feed on? Superorder Paracanthopterygii Order Gadiformes Family Gadidae; Spotted hake (Urophycis regia), Walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) 11) These fishes are relatives of the burbot (Lota lota), which lives in Wisconsin. Look at your notes on burbot. What similar traits do these fishes share with burbot? Any differences?.