Bony Fishes
Group “Osteichthyes”
SPECIES OF Bony Fishes
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ANATOMY OF Bony Fishes
OVERVIEW
Most of the fish we eat are bony fishes! Bony fishes belong to the group “Osteichthyes”, and they are found in almost every water body on Earth!
BONY SKELETONS!
Like us humans, bony fishes have skeletons that are (unsurprisingly) made of bone. But not all fishes have bones! Other fishes, such as sharks and rays, have skeletons which are made of softer cartilage instead!
FINS: FAN OR FEATHER?
Most bony fishes have thin and flexible fins which are supported by a series of long and slender bones called fin rays, like bamboo sticks holding up a paper fan! But a small number of bony fishes have a central bone running down the middle of their fins instead, just like the stem or shaft of a feather!
YOU CAN’T SEE MY GILLS!
The gills of bony fishes are hidden by a protective flap called a gill cover or operculum, which helps to shield the vulnerable gills from damage! In contrast, cartilaginous fishes have open gill slits, without any gill cover!