Fish of the Animal Kingdom Living on Planet Earth Move through the program using the arrow keys below this message. Keyboard and mouse options will also work.

Fish Fish are part of the Animal Kingdom. The other animal classes include: mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates.   

Fish All members of the kingdom of animals have one thing in common—they have a mouth or similar structure used to ingest food. If not, then they absorb their food and they belong to another kingdom of living creatures.

Fish Have mouths to ingest food Have vertebrae to support their bodies Are cold-blooded Breathe with gills Have skin with scales or plates

Fish All fish have vertebrae or cartilage inside that give them shape and help them to turn. Some fish have bones and cartilage, while others have only cartilage. Cartilage feels like rubber. It’s softer and more flexible than bones because it doesn’t have calcium in it.

Fish Grab your nose or ear and move it from side to side. It is made of flexible cartilage. Bony fish have vertebrae that are very flexible. Bony fish have bones and cartilage just as we do.

Fish Bony fish have a swim bladder that acts like a life vest. It is filled with air and other gasses. The fish doesn’t have to work so hard to stay at a water depth where they find food and a safe place to rest. There are over 24,000 species of bony fish.

Fish There are more than 600 species of fish with skeletons made of cartilage. They are called cartilaginous fish. You are probably familiar with the sharks, skates and rays that belong to this class of fish. These fish can quickly change direction to hunt for slower moving fish.

Fish Cartilaginous fish have a fatty liver that helps with buoyancy. They must remain in motion, even when sleeping, or they will sink to the bottom. These sharks, skates, rays and ratfish are able to quickly search high and low for food because they don’t have a swim bladder.

Fish Fish rely on the warmth of the sun and their surroundings to control their body temperature. This is called cold-bloodedness.

Fish Because fish are cold-blooded they require that the water in which they swim stays within a certain temperature range so that they can be active and find food.

Fish Fish breathe water into gills. The gills move oxygen through the body. Each heartbeat pushes blood back to the gills. A fish’s skeleton, organs and muscles depend upon good oxygen circulation from the gills and heart.

Fish Some can breathe air at the surface of the water using their gills. Some have gills and lungs. Others have gills and can absorb oxygen through their skin like an amphibian. All are considered fish because they have gills to breathe and fins to propel them through the water.

Fish Bony fish skin has scales or plates that protect the animal from injury and infection. Mucous cells in the skin produce a slippery substance to reduce water friction so that the fish can swim more easily.

Fish Fish scales allow light to pass through. The pretty colors we see are created by pigment found deep in the skin.

Fish Sharks, skates and rays have rough skin that feels like sandpaper and fins that are stiff. All fish have fins that help to propel them through the water or to stay in one place.

Fish Bottom feeders are slower moving. Bullet shaped fish can move faster and are found in open water. Others are flat or rounded and move more slowly.

Fish What is a fish’s favorite food? Look at its mouth for clues. If it opens wide they catch plankton, bugs or other fish. If their lips point upward they find food on the surface of the water. If their lips point downward they feed at the bottom of the water.

Fish Many fish have natural defenses that keep them safe. They often use their instincts and habits to outsmart their predators.

Fish Camouflage Animals that camouflage themselves pretend to be something that they are not. Some fish have deceptive markings that confuse predators. Others hide from predators by blending in to the scenery. Some use camouflage to avoid being seen by their prey.

Fish Mimicry Some animals have body shapes that look like another animal. One of these fish is dangerous. A predator knows that it could be hurt by one or the other fish and will leave both of them alone. A fish might mimic another animal's behavior, making its prey feel safe. Unfortunately, the unsuspecting fish will become dinner for the sly predator.

Fish Torpor Some fish will go into a state of torpor, much like hibernation, when their water gets too cold or dries up. Lung fish and some eels will bury themselves in mud or sand until the rain or tide provides more water.

Fish Electroreception Cartilaginous fish have a special sensory organ to perceive electric fields. Using this special sense sharks and their kind can detect muscular contractions of struggling prey and even the earth's magnetic field.

Fish Electrocution Some fish are able to give a very strong electric shock to stun or kill another animal. The Atlantic Torpedo ray will trap its prey in its fins and give it a shock. The electric eel is so powerful it can knock a person over.

Fish Chemical Release Some fish use poison to defend themselves or to stun their prey. Many rays have poisonous barbs on their tail. A lion fish will defend itself with its sharp spines by injecting a paralyzing poison into the predator.

Fish Bioluminescence Some fish have special organs containing light generating bacteria that produce a glowing light. This light helps fish communicate with each other. In some instances predatory fish, such as Megamouth sharks, use it to attract prey into their glowing mouths.

Fish Hide and Bury Many fish will stay in a small area that they know well so that they can hide from a predator in familiar rocks, corals and grasses. Some fish, like the many species of gobies, are able to quickly bury themselves in the sand when they are frightened.

Fish Senses Fish have very keen senses that differ for each species and living environment. They can sense light, smell and taste chemicals, hear and feel vibrations and sense electricity.

Fish Senses Fish have internal ears that allow them to respond to sound. Many also have hair-like sensors along their sides that help them feel sound and sense the distance of other fish nearby.

Fish Senses Mudfish live in shallow water. They have eyes on the top of their heads to spot food and danger. Look for clues that will help you understand where the fish might live, what it might eat and how it might protect itself.

Fish There are many interesting characteristics found among all the animal species. It’s fun to learn what they have in common and what makes them different.

Fish We hope you enjoyed learning about the Fish of the Animal Kingdom.

Fish Orders Cartilaginous Fish Bony Fish Sharks Skates, Rays and Ratfish Bony Fish Lungfish, Bichirs and Bony Tongues Herring and Their Relatives Salmon and Their Relatives

Fish Orders Bristle Mouths and Hatchet Fish Eels Carp and Their Relatives Characins and Their Relatives Catfish and Electric Eels Toad Fish and Anglerfish

Fish Orders Codfish and Their Relatives Lionfish, Dories and Oarfish Flying Fish, Grunions and Seahorses Perch and Their Relatives Triggerfish Flatfish

Fish of the Animal Kingdom Images Courtesy of: Microsoft Clipart: www.office.com Coral Reef Alliance: www.coral.org Contributions from abcteach.com staff members, and others as identified. Copyright 2010 abcteach.com

Fish of the Animal Kingdom Click on the image above to find complimentary paragraph and essay writing assignments. Have your students work as a class, in groups or individually to develop their thinking and writing skills. Living on Planet Earth