[...]...12 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS FISH AND AMPHIBIANS 13 Bony Fish OCEAN SUNFISH Mola mola The largest osteichthian fish, it can grow to be 11 feet (3.3 m) long and can weigh 4,000 pounds (1,900 kg) he group of fish that have evolved and diversified most in the last few million years are the osteichthyes, fish with spines and jawbones In general, their skeletons are relatively... amphibians (newts, salamanders, frogs, toads, and caecilians) has been their conquest of land This completely transformed the extremities of these animals, allowing them to move on land instead of swimming They also had to adapt to take in oxygen through their skin and lungs Here you will also discover how frogs and toads reproduce and how newts feed, among other curious facts 62 AMPHIBIANS FISH AND. .. zones in the Indian and Pacific oceans, this fish is marked by brown stripes that form a grid It uses its long nose to trap prey SPOTTED SCORPION FISH Scorpaena plumieri The most poisonous of all sea creatures, this fish eats small fish and mollusks Its body is specially designed to mimic the seafloor 30 LIFE IN THE WATER FISH AND AMPHIBIANS 31 You Are What You Eat DIFFERENCES ost fish feed in their... jumps Dorsal finΩstabilizing function In general, fish have seven fins: three single fins (dorsal, caudal, and anal) and two sets of paired fins (pelvic and pectoral) Each fin has specific functions related to the fish' s movement In all bony fish, the fins are made of bony rays and not of flesh Tuna and a few other fish have one extra fin between the dorsal and caudal fins Their thin lateral fins indicate... one This fish lives in the dark at depths of up to 4,900 feet (1,500 m); it is 4 feet (1.2 m) long 16 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS FISH AND AMPHIBIANS 17 Anatomy SIMPLE EYE Each eye focuses to one side; there is no binocular vision ost fish have the same internal organs as amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals The skeleton acts as a support, and the brain receives information through the eyes and the... puffer fish' s intestinal wall is also poisonous OVARY STOMACH When the fish takes in water, the stomach swells and causes the fish to expand The most toxic of the internal organs LIVER Highly poisonous; compressed when the stomach expands RED LIONFISH Pterois volitans Habitat Indian and Pacific oceans, Sri Lanka Largest size 15 inches (38 cm) Family Scorpaenidae Living Rock Spotted scorpion fish belong... capsizing Fish, on the other hand, have the keel on top If the paired fins stop functioning to keep the fish balanced, the fish turns over because its heaviest part tends to sink, which happens when fish die KEEL LIVE FISH DEAD FISH The amount of time it takes for this shark to complete one swimming cycle The resulting impulse moves the fish forward Like the keel of a ship, the rounded contours of a fish. .. this fish is endangered by its popularity with aquarium aficionados PERCULA CLOWNFISH Amphiprion percula The clownfish is known for its intense red, orange, and white colors It lives among anemones, a predator species that affords it protection from possible attackers OCELLARIS CLOWNFISH Amphiprion ocellaris THREADFIN BUTTERFLY FISH Chaetodon auriga This fish has an orange body with two white bands... small fish is barely the size of a finger ANGELFISH Pterophyllum scalare Inhabiting South American rivers in the central Amazon system and its tributaries as far as eastern Peru and Ecuador, this fish has faint stripes across its body PRICKLY LEATHERJACKET Chaetodermis penicilligerus Inhabiting coral reefs in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans, Australia, and northern Japan, this fish. .. FISH AND AMPHIBIANS 21 20 LIFE IN THE WATER Protective Layer ost fish are covered with scales, an external layer of transparent plates All fish of a given species have the same number of scales Depending on the family and genus of a fish, its scales can have a variety of characteristics Scales on the lateral line of the body have small orifices that link the surface with a series of sensory cells and . ■ Tokyo Britannica Illustrated Science Library Britannica Illustrated Science Library FISH AND AMPHIBIANS FISH AND AMPHIBIANS © 2 008 Editorial Sol 90 All rights reserved. Idea and Concept of This. (volume): 978-1-59339-805-7 Britannica Illustrated Science Library: Fish and Amphibians 2008 Printed in China w ww.britannica.com Fish and Amphibians Contents Page 6 General Characteristics Page. bony fish the swim bladder, an organ that helps fish to float. Their pectoral fins, tail, and flat head give this group a streamlined profile. SPINAL COLUMN FISH AND AMPHIBIANS 15 Sharks These fish