Fish Anatomy & Functions

Gill rakers

- elongated gill extensions that function to capture plankton and keep gills clean

Anal Fin

- gives stability while swimming/keeps fish upright

Electroreception

- the ability to smell weak electrical field, created by all living animals

Electrogeneration

- the ability to strengthen that electrical fields to produce a painful and lethal shock

Caudal Fin

- used to propel the fish forward and to help it with steering

Pelvic Fin

helps balance the fish, keep it level, & prevent it from rolling side to side; fish sometimes rest by sitting on their pelvic fins

Pectoral Fin

locomotion & side to side movement

Lateral Line System

sensory pits in epidermis that allows for detection of pressure, vibration, movement, & sound; lets fish know what's in the water around them

Operculum

covers & protects the gills; plays role in breathing mechanism

Swim Bladder

air-filled sac near spine; used to keep buoyancy; helps fish move up & down in water;

Dorsal Fin

also gives stability while swimming & keeps fish upright

Gills

carry out respiration