Protacanthopterygii,Paracanthopterygii,

and predator avoidance

Lab 7

Shoaling

• 25% of all fishes shoal

• Dilution and confusion

• Shoal: any group of fishes that remains together for social reasons

• School: a polarized, synchronized shoal

Camouflage

• Counter-color shading

• True camouflage

Chemicals

• Poison through mutualism

• Poison spines

• Schreckstoff

Broad-barred firefish (Pterois antennata) 

Black bullhead (Ameiurus melas)  clownfish (Amphiprion spp) 

Spinesbluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)• Common

characteristic of derived fishes

• Discourages attacks

• Hard to swallow

balloonfish (Diodon holocanthus )

Armor

Hassar (Hoplosternum littorale)

Tropical two-winged flying fish (Exocoetus volitans)

Flying

Superorder Protacanthopterygii “Before spiny ray”

– Composed of 3 orders: Salmoniformes, Esociformes, and Osmeriformes

– Cycloid scales, no spiny fins, physostomous gas bladder

Superorder Paracanthoptherygii “Like spiny ray”– 2 orders in our collection : Gadiformes, Percopsiformes

– Ctenoid scales, spines on dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins

– Maxilla separated from premaxilla, but not protractile

• Family Salmonidae

• Most thrive in cold water

• Native only to northern hemisphere (but widely introduced)

• Have an adipose fin and axillary process

Order: Salmoniformes

Salmon and TroutFamily: Salmonidae

• 3 Genera in our collection– Oncorhynchus (Pacific salmon and trout) (2)– Salmo (Atlantic salmon and trout) (1)– Salvelinus (Chars) (2)

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

Telling Trout from Chars

Whitefishes & Cisco Genus: Coregonus

• Unknown number of species (at least 50)

• Great Lakes used to have lots of species, many endemic…only a few remaining. Many species were not even named.

Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)

Brook troutBrown troutRainbow trout

WI DNR & Wisconsin Aquatic Gap Mapping Application

http://web2.er.usgs.gov/wdnrfish/

SmeltFamily: Osmeridae

• 7 genera, 16 species; only 1 species in Wisconsin• Generally a coastal, anadromous fish• Have adipose fin, but don’t have axillary process

rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)

PikesFamily: Esocidae

• 1 genera (Esox), 6 species; 3 in Wisconsin

• Circumpolar (esp. northern pike)

• All species are extremely piscivorous

• Fins in primitive position, have duck-like bill

Northern pike (Esox lucius)

MudminnowFamily: Umbridae

• 3 genera, 5 species; 1 in Wisconsin

• Found only in N. America and Siberia

• Known for their ability to survive low oxygen levels

• Separated from minnows by round caudal fin

Central mudminnow (Umbra limi)

SuperorderParacanthopterygii

Trout-PerchesFamily: Percopsidae

• 1 genera, 2 species; 1 in Wisconsin

• Have adipose fin, but have weak fin spines

• Ctenoid scales

Trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus)

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Pirate perchesFamily: Aphredoderidae

• 1 genus, 1 species• Characterized by anus

under their chin

Pirate perch (Aphredoderus sayanus)

BurbotFamily: Lotidae

• 6 genera, 21 species; only 1 in Wisconsin

• Mostly marine and brackish water species

• No spines

• Thoracic pelvic fins

• Single barbel under chin

burbot (Lota lota)

FIRST PLACE 'POUT!Carl Shimer won this year's event with a 13.55 pound eelpout!