Fish, COB-ICE
Fishes have been in existence for more than 450 million years, and they have evolved to fit into almost every conceivable type of aquatic habitat, including both fresh and salt waters. Almost all natural bodies of water bear fish life, with the exception of very hot thermal ponds and extremely salt-alkaline lakes, such as the Dead Sea in Asia and the Great Salt Lake in North America. Although most fish species are cold-blooded, one especially contrarian species, the opah (Lampris guttatus), is warm-blooded.
Fish Encyclopedia Articles By Title
cobia, (species Rachycentron canadum), swift-moving, slim marine game fish, the only member of the family Rachycentridae......
cod, (genus Gadus), any of three or four species of large and economically important marine food fishes of the......
coelacanth, (genus Latimeria), any of the two living lobe-finned bony fishes of the genus Latimeria. Traditionally,......
coho, (Oncorhynchus kisutch), species of salmon, family Salmonidae, prized for food and sport. The coho may weigh......
common clown fish, (Amphiprion ocellaris), species of anemone fish best known for its striking orange and white......
conger eel, any of about 100 species of marine eels of the family Congridae (order Anguilliformes). Congers are......
cookiecutter shark, either of two species of living sharks classified as part of the genus Isistius, in the family......
cornetfish, (family Fistulariida), any of about four species of extremely long and slim gasterosteiform fishes......
corydoras, any of numerous small South American catfishes of the genus Corydoras, family Callichthyidae, commonly......
crappie, either of two freshwater North American fishes of the genus Pomoxis, family Centrarchidae (order Perciformes).......
crocodile shark, (Pseudocarcharias kamoharai), small open-ocean shark best known for its large eyes, long gill......
crossopterygian, (subclass Crossopterygii), any member of a group of primitive, lobe-finned, bony fishes believed......
cusk, (Brosme brosme), long-bodied food fish of the cod family, Gadidae, found along the ocean bottom in deep offshore......
cusk eel, any of about 30 species of slim, eel-like marine fishes of the family Ophidiidae, found worldwide in......
cutlass fish, any of several species of fishes in the family Trichiuridae (order Perciformes). All species are......
cutthroat trout, (Oncorhynchus clarki), black-spotted game fish, family Salmonidae, of western North America named......
cyclostome, a collective term for the living members of the superclass Agnatha, the lamprey and the hagfish (qq.v.).......
dab, any of the flatfishes of the genus Limanda, family Pleuronectidae, found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific.......
dace, any of a number of small, slim, active freshwater fishes of the carp family, Cyprinidae. In England and Europe,......
damselfish, any of about 250 species of small, primarily tropical marine fishes of the family Pomacentridae (order......
danio, any of several slender tropical fishes of the genera Danio and Brachydanio in the carp family, Cyprinidae.......
darter, any of about 100 species of small, slender freshwater fishes constituting the subfamily Etheostominae of......
dealfish, any of several slender marine fishes that belong to the genus Trachipterus (family Trachipteridae, order......
deep-sea fish, in general, any species of fishes (class Osteichthyes) that are found at extreme ocean depths, usually......
Dinichthys, extinct genus of arthrodires, i.e., primitive, armoured, fishlike animals known as placoderms that......
Dipterus, genus of very primitive lungfish, among the earliest known, found as fossils in European and North American......
discus fish, two species of the genus Symphysodon of fishes in the family Cichlidae (order Perciformes), characterized......
dogfish, (order Squaliformes), any of several small sharks making up an order of chondrichthyian fishes composed......
Dolly Varden trout, (species Salvelinus malma), char of the family Salmonidae, found in northwestern North America......
dolphin, (family Coryphaenidae), either species of fish belonging to the genus Coryphaena. The food and game fish......
dorado, (Salminus maxillosus), powerful game fish of the characin family, Characidae, found in South American rivers.......
dory, any of several marine fishes of the family Zeidae (order Zeiformes), found worldwide in moderately deep waters.......
dragonet, any of about 40 species of marine fishes constituting the family Callionymidae (order Perciformes), found......
dragonfish, any of about five species of small marine fishes comprising the family Pegasidae and the order Pegasiformes.......
drum, in biology, any of about 275 species of fishes of the family Sciaenidae (order Perciformes); drums are carnivorous,......
dumb gulper shark, (Centrophorus harrissoni), deepwater shark of the family Centrophoridae that is related to the......
eagle ray, any of about two dozen species of exclusively marine rays constituting the family Myliobatidae (order......
eel, (order Anguilliformes), any of more than 800 species of teleost fishes characterized by elongate wormlike......
eelpout, any of more than 250 species of elongated marine fishes of the family Zoarcidae, found in cold waters......
electric catfish, any of about 18 widely distributed freshwater catfish species native to tropical Africa belonging......
electric eel, (genus Electrophorus), any of three species of elongated South American knifefishes that produce......
electric ray, any of the rays of the families Torpedinidae, Narkidae, Narcinidae, and Hypnidae, named for their......
elephantsnout fish, any of certain mormyrid (q.v.) species having an elongate appendage on the lower...
elopiform, (order Elopiformes), any member of a group of archaic ray-finned fishes that includes the tarpons (Megalops)......
Eusthenopteron, genus of extinct lobe-finned fishes (crossopterygians) preserved as fossils in rocks of the late......
filefish, any of the shore-frequenting marine fishes of the family Monacanthidae, found in warm seas around the......
fingerfish, any of the half dozen species of fishes in the family Monodactylidae (order Perciformes), found from......
fish, any of approximately 34,000 species of vertebrate animals (phylum Chordata) found in the fresh and salt waters......
- Introduction
- Habitats, Migration, Abundance
- Migration, Communication, Adaptation
- Swimming, Fins, Adaptations
- Reproduction, Spawning, Fertilization
- Skin, Scales, Adaptations
- Digestion, Anatomy, Nutrition
- Gills, Lungs, Swim Bladder
- Excretion, Gills, Kidneys
- Evolution, Paleontology, Adaptation
- Sharks, Rays, Chondrichthyes
- Actinopterygii, Ray-Finned, Aquatic
- Classification, Jawless, Cartilaginous & Bony Fishes
flashlight fish, any of three species of fishes in the family Anomalopidae (order Beryciformes), characterized......
flathead, any of the flattened marine fishes of the families Platycephalidae, Bembridae, and Hoplichthyidae (order......
flounder, any of numerous species of flatfishes belonging to the families Achiropsettidae, Pleuronectidae, Paralichthyidae,......
flying fish, any of about 40 species of oceanic fishes of the family Exocoetidae (order Atheriniformes), found......
flying gurnard, (family Dactylopteridae), any of a small group of marine fish comprising the family Dactylopteridae......
four-eyed fish, either of two species of tropical American river fishes of the genus Anableps (family Anablepidae,......
fox shark, species of thresher shark...
frogfish, any of about 60 species of small marine fishes of the family Antennariidae (order Lophiiformes), usually......
Gadus, fish genus of the family Gadidae, including the individuals and groups known as bib, cod, pollock, and whiting...
Galapagos shark, (Carcharhinus galapagensis), shark species belonging to the family Carcharhinidae. Galapagos sharks......
gar, any of seven species of large North American fishes of the genera Atractosteus and Lepisosteus, in the family......
garfish, European species of needlefish...
gasterosteiform, (order Gasterosteiformes), any member of a group of fishes characterized generally by tubular......
ghost pipefish, (genus Solenostomus), any of a group of small, rare marine fishes characterized by long snouts......
glassfish, any of about 24 small Indo-Pacific fishes of the family Chandidae (or Ambassidae, order Perciformes),......
goatfish, any of more than 60 species of elongated marine fishes of the family Mullidae (order Perciformes). Goatfishes......
goblin shark, rare species of shark belonging to the family Mitsukurinidae (order Lamniformes). Only one extant......
goby, any of the more than 2,200 species of fishes of the suborder Gobioidei (order Perciformes). Gobies are carnivorous,......
goldeye, North American freshwater fish, a species of mooneye...
goldfish, (Carassius auratus), ornamental aquarium and pond fish of the carp family (Cyprinidae) native to East......
goliath grouper, (Epinephelus itajara), large sea bass (family Serranidae) found on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts......
goosefish, any of about 25 species of anglerfishes of the family Lophiidae (order Lophiiformes), found in warm......
gourami, any of more than 90 freshwater tropical labyrinth fishes classified in the families Osphronemidae and......
grayling, (Thymallus), any of several troutlike game fishes, family Salmonidae, found in cold, clear streams of......
graysby, species of sea bass...
Greenland shark, (Somniosus microcephalus), member of the sleeper shark family Somniosidae (order Squaliformes,......
greenling, any of a number of marine fish of the family Hexagrammidae (order Scorpaeniformes). Greenlings are characterized,......
grenadier, any of about 300 species of abundant deep-sea fishes of the family Macrouridae found along the ocean......
grouper, any of numerous species of large-mouthed heavy-bodied fishes of the family Serranidae (order Perciformes),......
grunion, (species Leuresthes tenuis), small Pacific fish of the family Atherinidae (order Atheriniformes). The......
grunt, any of about 150 species of marine fishes of the family Haemulidae (Pomadasyidae) in the order Perciformes.......
gudgeon, (species Gobio gobio), common small fish of the carp family, Cyprinidae, found in clear, fresh waters......
guitarfish, an order (Rhinobatiformes) of fish closely related to the rays. The order contains some 47 to 50 species......
gulper, any of nine species of deep-sea fish constituting three families, placed by some authorities in the order......
gunnel, any of the long, eellike fishes of the family Pholidae (order Perciformes). Gunnels have a long, spiny......
guppy, (Poecilia reticulata or Lebistes reticulatus), colourful, live-bearing freshwater fish of the family Poeciliidae,......
haddock, (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), valuable North Atlantic food fish of the cod family, Gadidae, that is often......
hagfish, any of about 70 species of marine vertebrates placed with the lampreys in the superclass Agnatha. Although......
hake, (genus Merluccius), any of several large marine fishes of the cod family, Gadidae. They are sometimes classed......
halfbeak, any of about 70 species of marine and freshwater fishes of the family Hemiramphidae (order Atheriniformes).......
halfmoon, (Medialuna californiensis), edible Pacific fish of the family Kyphosidae (order Perciformes). Some authorities......
halibut, (genus Hippoglossus), either of two species of large and economically valuable flatfishes of the genus......
hammerhead shark, (family Sphyrnidae), any of 10 shark species belonging to the genera Sphyrna (9 species) and......
hatchetfish, any member of two unrelated groups of hatchet-shaped fishes—deep-sea forms of the family Sternoptychidae......
hausen, large species of sturgeon...
headstander, any of several fishes of the family Anostomidae (order Characiformes). All species are small, reaching......
herring, species of slab-sided northern fish belonging to the family Clupeidae (order Clupeiformes). The name herring......
hind, any of certain species of fishes in the sea bass family, Serranidae (order Perciformes). All species referred......
hogchoker, North American fish, a species of sole...
hogfish, any of certain species of fishes in the wrasse family, Labridae (order Perciformes). Although representatives......
holostean, (infraclass Holostei), any member of a group of primitive bony fishes that make up one of the three......
icefish, any of several different fishes, among them certain members of the family Channichthyidae, or Chaenichthyidae......