Jaws to not form a
beak.Scales large, usually 38-46
laterline scales, 15 to 20 anal fin rays, snout lenght equal to or smaller
than diameter of eye.
Atheriniformes
Atherinidae
Menidia
small, silvery fish
menidia
small, silvery fish
Atlantic silverside
Characteristics:
Jaws also do not form
a beak.The Atlantic silverside is
the commonest silverside in most estuarine habitats as well as along the
beach and in the shallow Atlantic Ocean. It possesses a long anal fin (23-26
rays) with a straight border.
Atheriniformes
Atherinidae
Labidesthes
pair of forceps
sicculus
dried
Brook silverside
Beloniformes
Hemiramphidae
hemi = half + rhamphos = beak
Halfbeak
Characteristics:
The
lower jaw much longer than upper jaw; premaxillae pointed anteriorly; short
pectoral and pelvic fins.The family is defined by one derived character,
third pair of upper pharyngeal bones anklylosed into a plate. Other
diagnostic characters include: pectoral fins short or moderately long;
premaxillae pointed anteriorly, forming a triangular upper jaw (except in
Oxyporhamphus); lower jaw elongate in juveniles of all genera, adults of most
genera; parapophyses forked; swimbladder not extending into haemal canal;
nostrils in a pit anterior to the eyes; no spines in fins; dorsal and anal
fins posterior in position; pelvic fins in abdominal position, with 6 soft
rays; lateral line running down from pectoral fin origin and then backward
along ventral margin of body. Scales moderately large, cycloid, easily
detached. Color. These fishes live at the surface and are protectively
colored for this mode of life being green or blue on the back and silvery
white on the sides and ventrally. Tip of the lower jaw bright red or orange
in life in most species. Most species are marine, but some inhabit
freshwaters.
Cyprinodontiformes
Fundulidae
Fundulus
bottom
zebrinus
like a zebra
Plains killifish
Cyprinodontiformes
Fundulidae
Fundulus
bottom
notatus
spotted
Blackstriped topminnow
Cyprinodontiformes
Fundulidae
Fundulus
bottom
catenatus
chained
Northern studfish
Cyprinodontiformes
Poeciliidae
Gambusia
Cuba provincial word
affinis
related
Western mosquitofish
Cyprinodontiformes
Poeciliidae
Poeciliopsis
poikilos = with a lot of colours
+ opsis = appearance
occidentalis
Characteristics:
The
Gila topminnow is a small two inch, guppy-like fish. The body is tan to olive
in color, with a dark back and a white underbelly. A fairly thick, dark band
occurs along both sides of the fish. In both sexes SL exceeds body depth by 3
(often 4) times, dorsal profile is slightly concave, the mouth is small and
superior, and dorsal and caudal fins are rounded to almost square.Dorsal and anal fins originate about 2/3
of the SL posterior from the head.Females' anal and dorsal fins are similar, but the anal fin of males
is modified to form a spike-like intromittent organ or gonopodium.Fin rays are outlined with melanophores
with no dark spots between rays.Body
scales are also outlined with melanophores and a dark lateral line is usually
present. Although background coloration varies, most topminnows are cream to
light brown with tinges of greenish-blue iridescence.Territorial males are entirely black
except for yellowish dorsal, anal, and caudal fins.The gonopodium may be blood red
Cyprinodontiformes
Poeciliidae
Poecilia
poikilos = with a lot of colours
latipinna
Sailfin molly
Characteristics:
The large sail-like
dorsal fin of the male is the most distinctive characteristic of this fish;
coloration can vary from green, gray to jet black; speckled forms also common
Cyprinodontiformes
Cypriniodontidae
Cyprinodon
cyprinus = carp + odous = teeth
tularosa
Tularosa Valley
Whitesands pupfish
Characteristics:
North America: found
only in Tularosa Valley in New Mexico, USA.White Sands pupfish are deep bodied and later-ally compressed. Large
adults may exceed 50 mm SL. D 8–11, A 9–11, P 14–17, C 13–18, LL 26–28;
Karyotype 2N =48 (Miller & Echelle 1975). C. tularosa exhibit low genetic
variability (Echelle et al. 1987, Stockwell et al. 1998). White Sands pupfish
is sexually dimorphic. Adult males have a black terminal band on the caudal
fin and display bright yellow-orange col-oration on paired fins and outer
margins of anal and dorsal fins. The side is grayish blue and the back and
upper parts metallic blue (Miller & Echelle 1975). Females are whitish to
silvery with vertical side bars which are grayish to golden and have an
ocellus on posterior base of dorsal fin. Upper partand back are oliva-ceous.
Cyprinodontiformes
Cypriniodontidae
Cyprinodon
cyprinus = carp + odous = teeth
macularis
Desert pupfish
Characteristics:
Body thickened,
chubby, or markedly compressed, laterally, in adult males. Mouth superior,
highly protractile, armed with tricuspid teeth. Circuli of scales with
marked, spine-like projections. Dorsal profile smoothly rounded, not markedly
concave posterior to origin of dorsal fin. Body color of females and
juveniles with silvery background, with narrow, vertical, dark bars on sides,
generally interrupted laterally to give the impression of a disjunct, lateral
band. Fins generally colorless, with the exception of an ocellate spot in
dorsal, and rarely a dark spot in anal fin. Mature, breeding male with caudal
fin and posterior part of the caudal peduncle yellow or orange, sometimes
intense orange-red; other fins generally dark. Body iridescent light- to
sky-blue, especially on dorsum of head and predorsal region
Gasterosteiformes
Gasteristeidae
Gasterosteus
gaster = stomach + osteon = bone
aculeatus
3-spine stickleback
Characteristics:
Dorsal spines
(total): 2-4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-14; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 8-10; Vertebrae: 29-33. Identified by the 3 to
4 sharp, free spines before the dorsal fin, the pelvic fin reduced to a sharp
spine and a small ray, and the series of plates along the sides of the body.
Gill rakers long and slender, 17 to 25 on the first arch or strictly
freshwater forms, 1 or 2 more in anadromous forms; lateral line with
microscopic pores. The anadromous form is fully plated, with up to 37 plates
on the sides and a rather pronounced keel on each side of the caudal
peduncle. Dorsal spines separated from each other and from the soft-rayed
fins, each spine having a reduced membrane attached to its posterior side;
anal spine free from rest of the fin; posterior margin of pectorals nearly
truncate; caudal truncate to slightly indented. Freshwater forms usually
mottled brown or greenish; anadromous forms silvery green to bluish black. A
few isolated populationsare black. Sides usually pale; belly yellow, white or
silvery. Fins pale; pectoral rays often have dark dots. Breeding males
(except for black forms) become brillant bluish or green with blue or green
eyes, and the forward part of the body, especially the breast region, turns
bright red or orange. Caudal fin with 12 rays.
Gasterosteiformes
Gasteristeidae
Culaea
From generic name
inconstans
changeable, variable
Brook stickleback
Characteristics:
Body deep, compressed
laterally. Length 38-61 mm (1.5-2.4 in). TL = 1.15 SL. Depth into TL 4.7-5.4.
Head length into TL 3.4-4.3. Mouth small, oblique, and dorsal, with lips
swollen. Lower jaw projecting beyond upper jaw; minute, needlelike teeth in
several irregular rows on upper and lower jaws. Dorsal spines 4-6, separate,
and each with its own membrane, followed by dorsal fin with 9-11 rays. Anal
fin with 1 spine and 9-10 rays; pelvic fin with 1 heavy spine and 1 ray
(pelvic skeleton absent in some populations. Pectoral fin 9-11 soft rays;
caudal fin rounded to truncate. Body scaleless, but with 30-36 small, bony
plates along the lateral line; lateral line complete. Digestive tract about
0.5 TL.
Gasterosteiformes
Sygnathidae
syn = with, together +
gnathos = jaw
Pipefish and seahorses
Characteristics:
Mostly marine. Some in
brackish and fresh water. Distribution: Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans
(mostly in warm temperate to tropical). A series of bony rings encloses
elongate body. Dorsal fin single; soft rays usually 15-60. Very small anal
fin. Anal rays usually 2-6. Pectoral fin rays usually 10-23. Adults of some
species may lack dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins. Pelvic fins lacking. Some
without caudal fin. Caudal peduncle may be prehensile. Very small gill
openings. Branchiostegal rays 1-3. Basisphenoid and supracleithrum lacking.
Kidney unpaired (right side) and lacking glomerulus. About 60 cm maximum
length. Some very colorful. Usually limited to shallow water. Feed on minute
invertebrates sucked into a tubular snout. Males have a brood pouch in which
the eggs are laid and where they are fertilized and incubated.
Gasterosteiformes
Sygnathidae
Hippocampus
ippos = horse + kampe =
curvature
erectus
Lined Seahorse
Characteristics:
Dorsal spines
(total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-20. Description:
(based on 51 specimens): Adult height: 5.5-18.5cm. Rings: 11 + 36 (34-39).
Snout length: 2.6 (2.2-3.2) in head length. Dorsal fin rays: 18-19 (16-20)
covering 2+1 rings. Pectoral fin rays: 15-16 (14-18). Coronet: variable, low,
triangular wedge, or ridge-like or raised with sharp edges, or with
relatively sharp spines. Spines: variable from none, to well-developed with
blunt or sharp tips. Other distinctive characters: usually first, third,
fifth, seventh and eleventh trunk rings enlarged (in most other species it is
the first, fourth, seventh and eleventh); snout usually less than half head
length; deep-bodied; cheek spine single or double. Color pattern: base colour
variable–ash grey, orange, brown, yellow, red or black; brown individuals
tend to be paler on ventral side; often with a characteristic pattern of
white lines following contour of neck; tiny white dots on tail; may have
darker or paler ‘saddles’ across dorsal surface often in line with the more
enlarged body rings.
Scorpaeniformes
Triglidae
Prionotus
prion, -onos = saw + noton =
back
carolinus
Carolina
Northern searobin
Characteristics:
to 17" (43 cm).
Elongate, robust anteriorly, tapering posteriorly; grayish or reddish above,
pale below. Head large with many ridges and spines; some disappearing with
growth; branchiostegal membranes black. Pectoral fins winglike, reddish-brown
to black above, grayish or whitish below, extend to middle of soft dorsal
fin; pelvic fins white. Black spot between fourth and sixth dorsal spines,
surrounded by light halo extending through membrane between third and fourth,
sixth and seventh spines.
Scorpaeniformes
Cottidae
Cottus
Miller's thumb
bairdi
S.F. Baird, 1st U.S. Fish
Commissioner
Mottled sculpin
Characteristics:
Laterline incomplete,
ending beneath base of soft dorsal; vertical bar crossing body at base of
tail fin narrow and indistinct.Width
of body at origin of second dorsal fin equal to its depth beneath 9th and
11th ray of second dorsal; dorsal fins often narrowly joined or nearly
separate; membranes of second dorsal fin not crossed by distinct wavy bands;
pelvic fins often crossed by faint brownish bands.
Scorpaeniformes
Cottidae
Myoxocephalus
myos = muscle, and also, mouse +
kephale = head
octodecemspinosus
Longhorn Sculpin
Characteristics:
The Longhorn sculpin
can be differentiated by the long opercular spine extending back behind
operculum.Longhorn sculpins spawn
during winter laying a mass of spherical eggs approximately 2 mm in
diameter. Eggs are laid on the sponge Chalina sp. and may be green, red
or brown.