Pisces

Ichthyology
• The study of fishes is known as
ichthyology.
• The person who study ichthyology is
known as ichthyologist
 Gnathostomes
• Includes jawed fishes
• Having 2 classes, chondrichthyes
(cartilaginous fishes) and osteichthyes
(bony fishes)
 Class: Chondrichthyes
• Greek word, Chondros, cartilage+ ichthyes,
fish
• Includes cartilaginous fishes
• Have 850 living species
• Less diverse than osteichthyes
• Have cartilaginous endoskeleton. Less
amount of calcium is present so they are
lighter in weight
• Examples, shark, skates, rays and chimaeras
 Classes
• Have 2 sub-classes
1)Sub-class Elasmobranchii
2)Sub-class Holocephali
 1) Sub-class:
Elasmobranchii
• Examples, shark and rays
 Great White Shark

Fig: Mako
Fig: Whale shark
Hammer head shark
 Fig: skate

Fig: Ray
 2) Sub-class: Holocephalii
• Holocephali means complete head
• Example is Chimaeras also known as
ghost fish, spook fish, rabbit fish and rat
fish
Fig: Chimaeras
 Class: Osteichthyes
• Osteon, bone+ ichthyos, fish
• Skeleton is bony
• Respiration by gill, covered by a
common operculum
• Spiracle is also present
• Swim bladder is present
 Having 2 sub-classes

• Sub-class: Actinopterygii
• Sub-class: Sarcopterygii
 Sub-Class: Actinopterygii
• Have more than 24,600 species
• Mostly have homocercal tail. Have equal
upper and lower lobes
• Have swim bladder which helps in buoyancy
• They are known as ray finned fishes. Fins are
provided with sharp spines thus making
themselves more adaptive and more diverse
of fishes.
 Sub-class: Sarcopterygii
• Includes 6 species of lung fishes and the
coelacanths
• Have gills and lungs
 Examples
• Neoceratodus, Australian lung fish
It can survive in stagnant and oxygen poor
water
• Lepidosiren (lepidus, pretty+ siren,
mermaid) its South American lungfish
• Protopterus is an African lung fish.
• Lepidosiren and protopterus can live out of
water for long periods of time.
• Protopterus burrows down at the approach
of the dry season and secrete a copious
slime that mixes with mud to form a hard
cocoon in which it remains dormant until
the rain returns.
• Coelacanths were extinct about 70 million
years ago. Only one species is surviving
Latimeria.
• Fins: there are different types of fins each
have a peculiar function
• Pectoral fin: located behind operculum it
is homologous to forelimbs in tetrapods. It
enable flight for flying fishes.
• Pelvic fin: located behind pectoral fin.
They are homologous to the hind limbs of
tetrapods. It helps the fish in going up or
down in water, turning sharply and to stop
quickly
• Dorsal fin: located on the back. Protect
the fish against rolling and helps in sudden
turn and to stop.
• Anal fin: located behind anus. Stabilize
the fish during swimming
• Caudal fin: tail fin used for propulsion/
moving forward.
The excretory product of fishes is
ammonia