In this laboratory program, you will examine in some detail the external and internal anatomy of a fish. Since a fish is a vertebrate, many aspects of its structural and functional organization are identical with those of other animals, including humans. Students will be able to see body parts that are specific to fish as they go through the dissection. Humans are adapted to live in terresrial environments, but how are fish adapted to live in their aquatic environment? Adaptations are traits giving an organism an advantage in a certain environment. Only by dissecting can you really appreciate the structural and functional role of the many organs, fins and other parts of a fish. You will also be learning about the relationship between an organ's texture, location, and function. During the dissection, instructors will discuss how the different structures and organs function to aid the fish in its survival.  Is the fish you are dissecting an open water fish or does it live along the reef boundries?  By careful inspection of the internal organs and muscle, the student will be able to determine if this fish is adapted for quick bursts of speed, or long, sustained travel.  The student will also be able to determine what the fish had been feeding on and hypothesize whether the fish is a solitary or schooling fish.

Students will form small groups and work together during their dissection. Fish, dissection kits, diagrams and anything else you need is provided to help you identify organs and structures.  If the students wish to explore their fish more thoroughly and identify additional structures (stomach contents, brain, etc..), they are free to do so.

Each small structure of a fish may have its own specific function but it also works together with other organs or structures to aid in a fish's overall survival.  Fish have certain body parts that are unique to them:

•  gills for breathing – the operculum that covers the gills

•  scales that safeguard/protect them from disease and predators

•  a lateral line , which feels vibrations in the water

•  pectoral fins , which they use for steering, maneuvering , stopping,

and in some cases for swimming forward

•  a dorsal fin and anal fins that work together to keep the fish upright

•  pelvic fins for balance and steering

•  eyes that can move independently, but no eyelids

•  nostrils, called nares for smelling, not for breathing

Do you know???

How does a fish's anatomy compare to yours?

Why is a fish's heart located up towards its head?

Where is our heart in relation to our lungs and why?

Sunshine State Standards

Click to register on-line.

For more information or to register please call (954) 924-4309, fax (954) 924-4333,
e-mail or mail to:

IGFA

Attn: Education Department

300 Gulf Stream Way

Dania Beach, FL 33004

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