General Information
- The vast majority of fish consisting of over 29,000 species!
- Osteichthyes are the LARGEST class of vertebrae
- Sub-classes: Actinopterygii (ray-finned), Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned)
- Weight: From a few ounces to a ton
- Length: Half-inch to 15 feet
- Color: Varies. Some Osteichthyes use their pigmentation to camouflage them when hunting or being hunted.
- Most Osteichthyes are ray-finned, or supported by rays of bony spines, a few, like lungfish and Coelacanths, are lobe finned.
- Life Span: Varies. Some live for a few months, others can live for more than 100 years
- Osteichthyes are ecothermic, or cold-blooded (they do not control their own body temperature)
- Body Plan: The head contains nostrils, they body contains the gills and bladder. The protective layer is comprised of mucous glands and scales. The body shape is cylindrical and flat. Here is an example: