ORIGIN & EVOLUTION

OF BONY FISHES:
ADAPTIVE RADIATION
Class - Osteichthyes
 ADAPTIVE RADIATION
Definition:-
Adaptive radiation is a rapid increase in the number of species with
a common ancestor, characterized by great ecological and
morphological diversity.

The driving force behind it is the adaptation of organisms to new

ecological contexts.

Ultimately, it is the variety of environments and food resources that

led to the rapid differentiation of these species
That adaptive radiations can be seen as adaptation and speciation
under special external circumstances has support from classical 
population genetics theory.
 CLASS OSTEICHTHYES
Class Osteichthyes includes all bony fishes.

Like all fishes, Osteichthyes are cold-blooded

vertebrates that breathe through gills and use fins for
swimming.

 Bony fishes share several distinguishing features: a

skeleton of bone, scales, paired fins, one pair of gill
openings, jaws, and paired nostrils.
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION-
CLASS
OSTEICHTHYES
Osteichthyes includes the largest number of living species
of all scientific classes of vertebrates, more than 28,000
species.

Osteichthyes account for about 96% of all fish species.

Fishes not included in the Osteichthyes are the
Chondrichthyes (sharks and their relatives), the Myxini
(hagfishes), and the Cephalaspidomorphi (lampreys).
SUBCLASSES

Living Osteichthyes are divided into three subclasses:

Dipnoi, Crossopterygii, and Actinopterygii.

The subclass Dipnoi (lungfishes) is

characterized by an upper jaw fused to the
braincase, fused teeth, and the presence of an
air-breathing organ that opens to the esophagus.
A lungfish's caudal fin is continuous with its
dorsal and anal fins. Its pelvic and pectoral fins
are long and tubular.
SUBCLASSES-
CROSSOPTERYGGII
The subclass Crossopterygii (coelacanths) is
characterized by a type of primitive scale called
a cosmoid scale, two dorsal fins, and fleshy paired fins
that contain skeletal elements.

Scientists used to think that this entire subclass of fishes

was extinct. Then in 1938, a living coelacanth (Latimeria
chalumnae) was discovered off the coast of Southeast
Africa. Several specimens have since been collected.
CLASS ACTINOPTERYGII

The subclass Actinopterygii includes all other

living bony fishes. Actinopterygians are
characterized by fins that are supported by bony
elements called rays.
ORDERS AND FAMILIES

All orders of bony fishes end in the suffix "iformes".

While there is debate over how certain fishes should be
classified, scientists recognize more than 500 different
bony fish families.
The names of bony fish families all end in the suffix
"dae".
GENERA AND SPECIES

More than 28,000 species of bony fishes have been

documented. It's likely that many more, including some
deep-sea species, have yet to be identified.
FOSSIL RECORD

Primitive fishes date back to the Cambrian period, about

550 million years ago. These jawless fishes lived
relatively unchanged over the following 100 million
years.
The Devonian period, about 360 to 400 million years ago,
is known as the "Age of Fishes", because of the
abundance and diversity of fishes that appeared during
this period.
FOSSIL RECORD
 In the Devonian, fishes began to develop jaws and
paired fins. All four living classes of fishes and the three
subclasses of Osteichthyes were established by the mid-
Devonian.

 Many species of fish that lived during the Devonian are

now extinct.
FOSSIL RECORDS
Bony fishes continued to evolve after the Devonian
period. Most modern orders of bony fishes probably
evolved during the Triassic period, about 200 million
years ago.
Today, the Actinoptergians are the dominant vertebrates
in the oceans and in freshwater systems.
The most recently evolved orders of bony fishes include
the Pleuronectiformes (flatfishes) and Tetraodontiformes
(triggerfishes, pufferfishes, and molas).
ADAPTIVE RADIATION IN
BONY FISHES
Bony fishes shows adaptive radiation or divergent
evolution upto great extent.
Exceed 20, 000 species
Abundance and richness unequalled among all vertebrates
Extreme variations
Wide geological distribution
HABITAT & DISTRIBUTION

Bony fishes inhabit almost every body of water. They are

found in tropical, temperate, and polar seas as well as
virtually all fresh water environments.
Some species of bony fishes live as deep as 11 km (6.8
mi.) in the deep sea. Other species inhabit lakes as high as
5 km (3.1 mi.) above sea level.
About 58% of all species of bony fishes (more than
13,000 species) live in marine environments. Although
only 0.01% of the earth's water is fresh water, freshwater
fishes make up about 42% of fish species (more than
9,000 species).
HABITAT

Bony fishes live in fresh water, sea water, and brackish (a

combination of fresh water and salt water) environments.
The salinity of sea water is about 35 ppt (parts per
thousand). Some species can tolerate higher-salinity
environments. Some species of gobies can tolerate
salinity levels as high as 60 ppt.
HABITAT
Fishes live in virtually all aquatic habitats. Different
species of fish are adapted for different habitats: rocky
shores, coral reefs, kelp forests, rivers and streams, lakes
and ponds, under sea ice, the deep sea, and other
environments of fresh, salt, and brackish water.
HABITAT
Some fish are pelagic: they live in the open ocean. For
example, tunas (several species in the family Scombridae,
subfamily Thunninae) are pelagic fishes.
Some species, such as the flatfishes (order
Pleuronectiformes) are adapted for living along the
bottom. Certain fishes, such as gobies (family Gobiidae)
even burrow into the substrate or bury themselves in
sand.
Ocean sunfish (family Molidae) are most often spotted at
the ocean's surface.
HABITAT
Some lungfishes "hibernate" throughout a summer
drought season, buried under the mud of a dried-up pond.
Several fish species live in freshwater habitats in the
darkness of caves.
HABITAT
Depending on the species, bony fishes can live at various
temperatures. Some live at extreme temperatures. Some
desert pupfish (Cyprinodon macularius) live in California
hot springs that reach temperatures greater than 45°C
(113°F).
At the opposite extreme, some species of bony fishes can
survive freezing temperatures of the Arctic and Antarctic.
Certain glycoprotein molecules present in the blood of
these specially-adapted fishes lower the freezing point of
the blood. The arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) can survive
temperatures as low as -2°C (28°F).
HABITAT
In general, fishes rely on oxygen dissolved in water for
respiration.
Some species of bony fishes require large amounts of
dissolved oxygen. The brown trout (Salmo trutta)
requires up to 11 mg of dissolved oxygen per liter (11
ppm, or parts per million).
Misgurnus fossillis, a type of loach, can survive in water
with an oxygen concentration as low as 0.5 mg per liter
(0.5 ppm).
HABITAT
Mudskippers (family Periophthalmidae) can carry a small
amount of water in their gill cavities. They commonly
spend time on land, returning to mud holes when their
water supply begins to evaporate.

African lungfishes (subclass Dipnoi) gulp air into a

"lung" for respiration. In fact, these fishes must have
access to the water's surface or they will drown.
SIZE

Thousands of species of bony fishes are less than a few

centimeters long as adults. Among the smallest is the
endangered dwarf pygmy goby (Pandaka pygmaea).
Adult males reach just 15 mm (0.6 in.), and adult females
reach only about 9 mm (0.4 in.).
SIZE
Some species can reach tremendous sizes - much larger
than a human. The longest bony fish is the oarfish
(Regalecus glesne), which can reach 11 m (36 ft.).
Among the heaviest of the bony fishes is the common
ocean sunfish (Mola mola), which lives throughout warm
and temperate seas worldwide. A large sunfish can reach
3.3 m (10.8 ft.) and 2,300 kg (5,071 lb.).
SIZE
Many sturgeons (family Acipenseridae) grow very large.
The largest is the beluga sturgeon (Huso huso), which
inhabits the Caspian, Black, and Adriatic Seas and can
reach 5 m (16.4 ft.) and 2,000 kg (4,409 lb.).
Black marlin (Makaira indica) reach 4.7 m (15.4 ft.) and
750 kg (1,653 lb.).
The European wels catfish (Silurus glanis) reaches 5 m
(16.4 ft.) and about 300 kg (661 lb.).
BODY SHAPE

Bony fishes show great evolutionary radiation in

morphological shapes having variety in body shape, but the
"typical" fish body shape is roughly cylindrical and tapering
at both ends. This characteristic fusiform shape is quite
energy efficient for swimming. Compared to other body
shapes, this body shape creates less drag (the opposing force
an object generates as it travels through water).

Shapes ranges from globe-puffer fish, Serpentine-eels,

Anguilla, Threadlike-snipe eel, flattened, irregular shapes-
sea horse etc.
BODY SHAPE
Various species of fishes deviate from the fusiform body
shape in three ways: compression, depression, and
elongation

A laterally compressed (flattened, side-to-side) body

shape is common in bony fishes that live in dense cover
or within coral reefs. Butterflyfishes (family
Chaetodontidae) are an example of bony fishes with a
laterally compressed body shape.
BODY SHAPE
A depressed (flattened, top-to-bottom) body shape is
common in bottom-dwelling fishes. Goosefishes (family
Lophidae) and batfishes (family Ogcocephalidae) are
examples of bony fishes with a depressed body shape.

The body shape of an eel (for example, the morays,

family Muraenidae) is an extreme example of
anelongated shape.
COLORATION

Most fish species have pigmentation. Pigment is mostly

contained in cells called chromatophores. Most fishes can
contract and expand their chromatophores to change colors.
Reflective cells called iridocytes can change color rapidly.
Because the different wavelengths of light are absorbed at
various depths, fishes may appear a different color
underwater than at the surface.
Some fish, such as the ghost glass catfish (Kryptopterus
bicirrhis), lack pigmentation.
COLORATION
Some fish bioluminate (emit light).Certain pigments
(called luciferins) emit light when oxidized.
Some fish produce light in luminescent organs or in cells
called photophores. In some fish, it is light-producing
bacteria that live in or on the fish that actually produce
the light.
Depending on species, bioluminescence may attract
mates, deter or confuse predators, attract prey, or act as
"headlights" to help a fish see in the dark.
FINS

All fishes have fins. Bony fish families show various

degrees of fin fusion and reduction.
Fins help stabilize or propel a fish in the water.
Except in the lungfishes and the coelacanth, fins lack
bones. In Actinopterygians, fins are supported by
structures called rays.
FINS
The spiny fin rays of some species are associated with
venom glands. Fishes in the family Scorpaenidae include
the stonefish (Synanceja spp.), the lionfish (Pterois spp.),
and the scorpionfish (Scorpaena spp.) - some of the most
venomous fishes in the world. Glands in the dorsal, anal,
and pelvic spines produce venom that is intensely painful
and occasionally fatal to humans.
FINS
Fishes have two kinds of fins: paired fins (pectoral and
pelvic) and median fins (dorsal, caudal, and anal)
Typically, the paired pectoral fins help a fish turn. In
some fishes, pectoral fins are adapted for other functions.
Paired pelvic fins add stability, and some fishes use them
for slowing. In the clingfishes (family Gobiesocidae), the
pelvic fins are adapted as a sucking appendage, which
helps a fish hold on to stationary objects on the ocean
bottom.
FINS
The dorsal fin may be a single fin or separated into several
fins. In most bony fishes, the dorsal fin is used for sudden
direction changes and acts as a "keel", keeping the fish
stable in the water. In some fishes, the dorsal fin is adapted
for other functions.

The caudal fin, or tail, is responsible for propulsion in most

bony fishes. Caudal fins come in many shapes. Many
continuously swimming fishes have forked caudal fins.
Fishes with lunate caudal fins, such as tunas, tend to be fast
swimmers that can maintain rapid speed for long durations.
FINS
The anal fin adds stability. In some fishes, the anal fin is
adapted for other functions.

Some species of bony fishes have reduced or absent fins.

For example, morays (family Muraenidae) lack pectoral
fins and pelvic fins. Several species lack an anal fin.
HEAD

Eye size and position vary depending on the habitat and behavior
of the species.
In most species, the gills are protected by a flexible plate called an
operculum. Most bony fishes have a single pair of gill openings.
Some bony fishes such as eels (family Anguillidae) have a pair of
gill holes or pores that aren't covered by an operculum.
The nostrils of most bony fishes have no connection with the
mouth or gills. In some bony fishes (such as eels), the nostrils'
incurrent and excurrent openings are widely separated.
Mouth shape and size are good indications of bony fish's feeding
habits.
SCALES

Most species of bony fishes are covered with and

protected by a layer of plates called scales.
There are four different kinds of bony fish scales:
cosmoid, ganoid, cycloid, and ctenoid.
SCALES
True cosmoid scales are found only on extinct
Crossopterygians. The inner layer of a cosmoid scale is
compact bone. On top of this bone layer lays a spongy
layer and then a layer of cosmine (a type of dentin). The
upper surface is enamel.
Gars (family Lepisosteidae), bichirs, and reedfishes
(family Polypteridae) have ganoid scales. They are
similar to cosmoid scales, but a layer of ganoin (a hard,
enamel-like substance) lies over the cosmine layer and
under the enamel. Ganoid scales are diamond-shaped,
shiny, and hard.
SCALES
Most bony fishes have cycloid or ctenoid scales. Both cycloid
and ctenoid scales consist of an outer layer of calcium and an
inner layer of connective tissue.
Cycloid scales overlap from head to tail, an arrangement that
helps reduce drag as a fish swims.
Cycloid scales are circular and smooth. They are most common
on fishes with soft fin rays.
Ctenoid scales have a characteristic toothed edge. They are most
common on fishes with spiny fin rays.
As a fish grows, cycloid and ctenoid scales add concentric
layers.
BODY SPINES

Body spines are modified scales.

Protective spines are common in slow-swimming fishes
and others that need to protect themselves without
moving.
Some fishes actively engage spines.
MUCUS

A fish secretes a layer of mucus that covers its entire

body. Mucus helps protect a fish from infection.
In some bony fishes, mucus may serve additional
functions.
 Some species of parrotfishes (family Scaridae) envelop
their bodies in mucous bubbles at night while they rest.
This mucous barrier may "hide" the parrotfish from
nocturnal predators that rely on their sense of smell to
locate prey.
 Young discus (Symphysodon discus) feed on the parent
fish's mucus.
SKELETAL SYSTEM

The skeleton of bony fishes is made of bone and

cartilage. The vertebral column, cranium, jaw, ribs, and
intramuscular bones make up a bony fish's skeleton.

The skeleton of a bony fish gives structure, provides

protection, assists in leverage, and (along with the spleen
and the kidney) is a site of red blood cell production.
MUSCULAR SYSTEM

The muscles of the tail and trunk consist of a series of

muscle blocks called myotomes.
The myotomes usually resemble a sideways letter "W". A
connective tissue called myosepta separates the
myotomes.
A horizontal septum separates the myotomes into dorsal
(top) myotomes and ventral (bottom) myotomes.
NERVOUS SYSTEM

The nervous system of fishes is poorly developed

compared to that of other vertebrates.
A bony fish's brain is divided into three sections: the
forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain.
The forebrain is responsible for the bony fish's ability to
smell. Bony fishes that have an especially good sense of
smell, such as eels, have an enlarged forebrain.
NERVOUS SYSTEM
The midbrain processes vision, learning, and motor
responses. Blind bony fishes, such as blind cavefishes in
the family Amblyopsidae, have a reduced midbrain.

The hindbrain (medulla oblongata and cerebellum)

coordinates movement, muscle tone, and balance. Fast-
swimming bony fishes usually have an enlarged
hindbrain.
CARDIOVASULAR SYSTEM

A bony fish's heart has two chambers: an atrium and a

ventricle.
The venous side of the heart is preceded by an enlarged
chamber called the sinus venosus.
The arterial side of the heart is followed by a thickened
muscular cavity called the bulbus arteriosus.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

The esophagus in bony fishes is short and expandable so

that large objects can be swallowed. The esophagus walls
are layered with muscle.
Most species of bony fishes have a stomach. Usually the
stomach is a bent muscular tube in a "U" or "V" shape.
Gastric glands release substances that break down food to
prepare it for digestion.
At the end of the stomach, many bony fishes have blind
sacs called pyloric caeca. The pyloric caeca are an
adaptation for increasing the gut area; they digest food.
SWIM BLADDER

Many species of bony fishes have a gas-filled bladder

called a swim bladder.
Apparently the swim bladder originally developed in fish
as an organ of respiration, as evidenced by the "lung" of
the lungfishes.
In modern bony fishes that possess a swim bladder, the
organ serves principally in maintaining neutral buoyancy.
In some fishes the swim bladder has adapted to function
as a sound amplifier.
ACOUSTIC SENSES

The ears of a bony fish function in equilibrium, detecting

acceleration, and hearing.There are no external openings to
the ears.
Sound waves travel through soft tissue to the ears. (A fish's
soft body tissue has about the same acoustic density as water).
In some bony fish species, the swim bladder is associated with
adaptations for enhanced sound reception at higher
frequencies. In some, the swim bladder lies against the ear
and acts as an amplifier to enhance sound detection. In other
species, such as goldfish (Carassius auratus), a series of small
bones connects the swim bladder to the ear.
EYESIGHT

Bony fishes have a basic vertebrate eye, with various

structural adaptations. A bony fish's eye includes rods and
cones.
Bony fishes, especially those that live in shallow-water
habitats, probably have color vision. Certain visual cells
are specialized to particular wavelengths and intensities.
The eyesight in some species of bony fishes may be well
developed. Goldfish (Carassius auratus) have excellent
visual acuity up to 4.8 m (16 ft.) away.
TASTE

Bony fishes have taste buds in their mouths. Some

species have taste buds along the head and ventral side of
the body.
Taste perception hasn't been extensively studied in bony
fishes. Some species can detect some sensations, such as
salty, sweet, bitter, and acid stimuli.
Taste may be responsible for the final acceptance or
rejection of prey items.
SMELL

Olfactory cells in the nasal sac detect tiny amounts of

chemicals in solution.
In general, the sense of smell is well developed in fishes.
The nasal areas and extent of the sense of smell vary
among species.
ELECTRORECEPTION

Some bony fishes in the families Electrophoridae,

Gymnotidae, and Mormyridae produce a low-voltage
electric current that sets up a field around the fish.
Tiny skin organs on the fish detect disruptions in the
electric field that are caused by prey or inanimate objects.
Electric organs are made up of cells called electrocytes
that have evolved from muscle cells. Electrocytes
typically are thin and stacked on top of one another.
Electroreception is an adaptation for detecting prey and
for navigation in murky water.
FERTILIZATION AND
EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT

Some species release unfertilized eggs and sperm. Young

develop from eggs that are fertilized in the water.

Some species have internal fertilization; these species

mate. For species with internal fertilization, there is great
variation in the development stage at which offspring are
released: fertilized eggs, larvae, juvenile fish, or even
sexually mature adults.
DEVELOPMENT
Oviparous bony fishes release eggs, and the developing
embryo is nourished by a yolk sac.

In ovoviviparous fishes, one parent (usually female)

retains the fertilized eggs in her body, and the developing
embryo is nourished by a yolk sac formed prior to
fertilization. There is no nutrient connection between the
parent and the developing embryos.
DEVELOPMENT
In viviparous fishes, the female retains the fertilized eggs in her
ovary or uterus, and the developing embryo is nourished by
connection with the mother.