1. Ichthyology

2. “jawed fishes” Class Chondrichthyes- cartilaginous
Subclass Elasmobranchii- sharks, rays, and skates
Subclass Holocephali- chimeras & ratfishes
Class Osteichthyes- bony fishes
Subclass Dipnoi- lung fishes
Subclass Crossopterygii- coelocanth
Subclass Actinopterygii- modern bony fishes

5. Class Chondrichthyes: (Cartilaginous Fishes)
general diagnostic characters:
reduced dermal armor
cartilaginous endoskeleton & girdles
tricuspid teeth
gill slits
fins: two dorsal, no anal, stiff pectorals, flexible pelvic
heterocercal tail

6. Sharks

7. Sting Ray

8. Manta Ray

9. Chimera or Ratfish

10. 1st Elasmobranch Radiation
diagnostic characters:
shark-like appearance
terminal mouth; amphistylic jaw suspension
unique tooth replacement
claspers

11. Claspers

13. 2nd Elasmobranch Radiation
diagnostic characters:
heterodont dentition
unique pectoral & pelvic fin arrangements
heterocercal tail

14. Extant Forms
Elasmobranchii [sharks (360 species) , skates & rays (456 species); appear in the Jurassic

15. diagnostic characters of sharks
hyostylic jaw suspension & rostrum
cranial kinesis- allows consumption of large food items
pectoral girdle fused ventrally
placoid scales
lack gas bladder; liver provides buoyancy (~ 25% of body mass).

16. Hyostylic Jaw Suspension

17. sensory systems lateral line system (mechanoreceptors)
ampullae of Lorenzini (detects electrical impulses)
acute chemosensory
tapetum lucidum
internal fertilization and large female investment; oviparity, ovoviviparity, & viviparity

18. Ampullae of Lorenzini

19. Placoid Scales

20. Placoid Scales

21. Shark Egg Case

22. diagnostic characters of skates & rays
hard teeth with flat crowned plates; mostly adapted for feeding on benthic invertebrates
swimming via undulations of pectoral fins
stingrays (family Dasyatidae) modified placoid scales form a sting at the base of the tail
manta rays (family Mobulidae) plankton feeders

23. Cartilaginous Skeleton

24. Shark Anatomy Link
Click Here

25. Class Osteichthyes: “bony fishes”
most abundant and diverse vertebrates >21,000 species
bony scales (enlarged in the head region)
operculum covering the gills
stream-lined; laterally compressed
ossified endoskeleton; secondarily lost in some species

26. Operculum

27. Dipnoans subclass Dipnoi- "double breathers"; lungfishes
upper jaw fused to the brain case; large, crushing tooth plates
two dorsal fins
paired fins

28. Crossopterygians
dominant fresh water predators during the Devonian period
rhipidistians (ancestor to amphibians) & coelacanth; Latimeria (extant)

29. important structural characteristics:
lobed fins with elements connecting to pectoral & pelvic girdles
autostylic jaw suspension- jointed braincase (jaw connects directly to the brain case)
labyrinth tooth- complex folding of the enamel

31. Coelocanth (Latimeria)

32. Actinopterygians (ray-finned fishes)
most modern bony fishes; subclass Actinopterygii
important structural characteristics:
ganoid scales
distinctive pectoral & pelvic girdles
fins attach to the body via flexible fin rays
instead of a fleshy lobe
branchiostegal rays
no internal nares

33. Branchiostegal Rays

34. Ganoid Scales

35. Ctenoid Scales Cycloid Scales

36. “bony fish”

37. Paddlefish (Polydon)

38. Sturgeon

39. Fish Diversity

40. Smallmouth Bass

41. Green Sunfish

42. Catfish

43. Oklahoma Non-game Fish