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Pisces

  • Pisces are aquatic vertebrates with gills for respiration and lack a true spine.
  • They inhabit fresh, marine, and brackish water environments.
  • Fins are the organs of locomotion, which can be paired or unpaired.
  • The study of fishes is known as ichthyology.
  • It is believed that they evolved from sea-squirts, resembling primitive fish.

PiscesPisces

Classification of Pisces:

  • Pisces belong to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Super-class Gnathostomata, and Class Pisces.

Characteristics of Pisces:

  • Pisces have a streamlined body with a close circulatory system.
  • The body is divided into head, trunk, and tail regions.
  • The skeleton can be bony or cartilaginous.
  • They exhibit separate sexes and possess a well-developed digestive system.
  • Fertilization can be internal or external, and they have scales for external covering.
  • They can display herbivorous, carnivorous, or omnivorous feeding habits.

Further Classification of Pisces

Placodermi:

  • Extinct class of fishes, known through fossils.
  • First fishes with jaws, survived until the Permian period of the Paleozoic era.
  • Characterized by bony endoskeleton and heterocercal caudal fin.
  • Includes orders like Arthrodiriformes and Antiarchiformes.

Chondrichthyes:

  • Also known as elasmobranch, found only in marine waters.
  • Features absence of operculum, cartilaginous endoskeleton, and heterocercal caudal fin.
  • Subclasses include Selachi and Bradyodonti.

Osteichthyes:

  • Largest class of vertebrates with bony internal skeletons.
  • Divided into subclasses like Dipnoi, Crossopterygii, and Actinopterygii.
  • Presence of autostylic jaw suspension and air bladder in this class.

Question for Super Class - Pisces (Chondrichthyes & Osteichthyes)
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Which class of fishes is known through fossils and includes orders like Arthrodiriformes and Antiarchiformes?
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Physiological Aspects of Pisces

Respiration:

  • Fishes respire through gills, with oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide release.
  • Gill structures vary among species, with some possessing lungs for respiration.

Excretion:

  • Main excretion in fishes is urea, with gills also serving as excretory organs.
  • Special adaptations may be present in freshwater species for water excretion.

Circulation:

  • Fish have a closed circulatory system with a two-chambered heart.
  • Blood flow involves oxygenation in the gills before distribution throughout the body.

Reproduction:

  • Fish reproductive organs are internal, with external fertilization being common.
  • Examples include scattering eggs in water for fertilization and internal hatching in some species.

Neurological and Sensory Features of Pisces

Nervous System:

  • The nervous system comprises the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS).
  • Control and coordination during swimming are key functions of the nervous system.

Sensory Organs:

  • Fish possess specialized sensory organs for vision, hearing, and reproduction.
  • Examples include eyes adapted for underwater vision and internal reproductive structures.

The document Super Class - Pisces (Chondrichthyes & Osteichthyes) | Biology for JAMB is a part of the JAMB Course Biology for JAMB.
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FAQs on Super Class - Pisces (Chondrichthyes & Osteichthyes) - Biology for JAMB

1. What are the two super classes of Pisces?
Ans. The two super classes of Pisces are Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) and Osteichthyes (bony fish).
2. What are some physiological aspects of Pisces?
Ans. Pisces have gills for breathing underwater, scales covering their bodies, and fins for swimming.
3. What are some neurological features of Pisces?
Ans. Pisces have a simple brain structure compared to higher vertebrates, but they possess a lateral line system that helps them detect movement and changes in pressure in the water.
4. What are some sensory features of Pisces?
Ans. Pisces have keen senses of sight, smell, and taste, which help them locate food and navigate their environment. They also have sensitive lateral lines that detect vibrations in the water.
5. How do Pisces differ from other classes of vertebrates in terms of their physiology?
Ans. Pisces are unique in having gills for breathing underwater, scales for protection, and fins for locomotion, which are adaptations for their aquatic lifestyle.
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