Fish FridayFish Friday

Mugilomorpha and Mugilomorpha and AtherinomorphaAtherinomorpha

10/24/0810/24/08

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At the base of the Acanthopterygii (spiny-finned fishes)

Mullets - MugiliformesMullets - Mugiliformes Two dorsal fins, the first with 4 Two dorsal fins, the first with 4

spinesspines

Found in coastlines and Found in coastlines and estuariesestuaries

Schooling fishSchooling fish

Feed on detritusFeed on detritus

Shit fish” The endearing name Shit fish” The endearing name given to them by sailorsgiven to them by sailors

White Mullet

AtherinomorphaAtherinomorpha

AtheriniformesAtheriniformes

BeloniformesBeloniformes

CyprinodontiformesCyprinodontiformes

Most successful group of surface-feeding fishesMost successful group of surface-feeding fishes

Unique mechanism of jaw protrusion – Unique mechanism of jaw protrusion – premaxilla does not articulate directly with premaxilla does not articulate directly with maxillamaxilla

RainbowfishRainbowfish

Freshwater fishFreshwater fish

Found in Found in Indonesia/Australia and Indonesia/Australia and Madagascar – believed to Madagascar – believed to be vicariancebe vicariance

Popular aquarium fishPopular aquarium fish

SilversidesSilversides

Two dorsal fins, long anal finTwo dorsal fins, long anal fin Found in saltwater and freshwaterFound in saltwater and freshwater Silver sidesSilver sides Schooling fishSchooling fish

Brook Silverside

Labidesthes sicculus

GrunionGrunion

Swims onto the beach after full and new Swims onto the beach after full and new moons to breed (called a “run”)moons to breed (called a “run”)

Female buries lower half of body in sand, Female buries lower half of body in sand, male wraps around hermale wraps around her

BeloniformesBeloniformes

Mostly marine fishesMostly marine fishes Most are elongatedMost are elongated

Needlefish

Flying fish

Ricefishes - medakaRicefishes - medaka

Used in many scientific experimentsUsed in many scientific experiments First vertebrate to mate in orbitFirst vertebrate to mate in orbit Glofish – transgenic medaka with glowing Glofish – transgenic medaka with glowing

jellyfish genesjellyfish genes

The things we do in the name of science

NeedlefishNeedlefish

Elongate bodies with long jawsElongate bodies with long jaws Bright green bonesBright green bones Habit of jumping out of the water – people Habit of jumping out of the water – people

have been impaledhave been impaled

HalfbeaksHalfbeaks

Only lower jaw elongated Only lower jaw elongated – neotenic trait– neotenic trait

Variety of reproductive Variety of reproductive systems – some lay eggs systems – some lay eggs (oviparous), some are (oviparous), some are livebearing livebearing (ovoviviparous and (ovoviviparous and viviparous)viviparous)

Marine and freshwaterMarine and freshwater

Flying fishesFlying fishes

Can “fly” up to 400 meters Can “fly” up to 400 meters over 30 secondsover 30 seconds

Elongated lower lobe of tail Elongated lower lobe of tail used for propulsion while used for propulsion while flyingflying

Specialized cornea allows Specialized cornea allows focusing in water and airfocusing in water and air

CyprinodontiformesCyprinodontiformes

Freshwater, surface-dwelling fishesFreshwater, surface-dwelling fishes

Variety of reproductive systems – Variety of reproductive systems – Ovoviviparity and viviparity have evolved Ovoviviparity and viviparity have evolved more than oncemore than once

Killifish and topminnowsKillifish and topminnows

Can survive in low Can survive in low oxygen levelsoxygen levels

Lay eggsLay eggs

Habit of leaping out Habit of leaping out of waterof water

LivebearersLivebearers

Guppies, mollies, platies, Guppies, mollies, platies, swordtails, mosquitofishswordtails, mosquitofish

Internal fertilization – Internal fertilization – males have a modified males have a modified anal fin protrusion called a anal fin protrusion called a gonopodiumgonopodium

GuppiesGuppies

Huge variation in male Huge variation in male colorscolors

Colors affected by Colors affected by negative frequency-negative frequency-dependent selection – dependent selection – rare males do betterrare males do better

Amazon mollyAmazon molly

SwordtailSwordtail

Sexual selection – females prefer longer Sexual selection – females prefer longer tails in malestails in males

Can be manipulated experimentallyCan be manipulated experimentally This is true even in related species that This is true even in related species that

don’t naturally have tail swordsdon’t naturally have tail swords

PupfishesPupfishes

Four-eyed fishFour-eyed fish

Eyes are split in halves to see underwater and in air Eyes are split in halves to see underwater and in air at the same timeat the same time

Live-bearers with internal fertilizationLive-bearers with internal fertilization Have a “side” – left-sided males can only mate with Have a “side” – left-sided males can only mate with

right-sided females and vice-versaright-sided females and vice-versa

How the eye of the four-eyed fish works

VideosVideos

Flying fish video: Flying fish video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmWRhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmWRCdUw17ECdUw17E

Glofish:Glofish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08jf_HChttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08jf_HC

dI90&feature=relateddI90&feature=related

Review questionsReview questions What is the phylogenetic position of the mullets What is the phylogenetic position of the mullets

within the bony fishes?within the bony fishes? What is the unifying trait of the Atherinomorpha?What is the unifying trait of the Atherinomorpha? Give an example of experimentation that has Give an example of experimentation that has

been done on the medaka.been done on the medaka. What are the adaptations flying fish have for What are the adaptations flying fish have for

flying?flying? What is the purpose of the swordtail’s sword?What is the purpose of the swordtail’s sword? Which groups have oviparity? Which have Which groups have oviparity? Which have

viviparity?viviparity? Where does the Death Valley pupfish live?Where does the Death Valley pupfish live?