How long do bony fish live

That means their bodies are rounded and tapered at both ends! This makes it easier to move through the water! Bony fish have a lateral line that runs across the side of their body. The lateral line is a series of sensory organs called neuromasts that helps bony fish sense vibrations and water pressure and help fish navigate and locate prey.

Home Wild Files N. Osteichthyes - Bony Fish This is the largest class of vertebrates. Orders Acipenseriformes paddlefishes, sturgeons Albuliformes bonefish Amiiformes bowfins Anguilliformes eels Ateleopodiformes Atheriniformes rainbow fishes, silversides Aulopiformes salmons Batrachoidiformes Beloniformes halfbeeks and needlefishes Beryciformes Cetomimiformes Channiformes Characiformes leporins, piranhas Clupeiformes anchovies, herrings Ctenothrissiformes Cypriniformes minnows, suckers Cyprinodontiformes killifishes Dactylopteriformes flying gurnards Elopiformes tarpons Esociformes mudminnows and pikes Gadiformes cods and hakes Gasterosteiformes pipefishes, sticklebacks Gobiesociformes Gonorhynchiformes milkfish, shellears Gymnotiformes Lampridiformes opahs, ribbonfishes.

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Science The controversial sale of 'Big John,' the world's largest Triceratops. Science Coronavirus Coverage How antivirals may change the course of the pandemic. Science Coronavirus Coverage U. Cartilaginous fish, on the other hand, must swim constantly to stay afloat. Bony fish are considered to members of the class Osteichthyes , which is subdivided into two main types of bony fish:.

The subclass Sarcopterygii is made up of about 25, species, all characterized by the presence of enamel on their teeth. They have a central axis of bone that acts as a unique skeletal support for fins and limbs, and their upper jaws are fused with their skulls. Two major groups of fishes fit under the Sarcopterygii: the Ceratodontiformes or lungfishes and the Coelacanthiformes or coelacanths , once thought to be extinct. Actinopterygii includes 33, species in families. They are found in all aquatic habitats and range in body size from under a half inch to over 26 feet long.

The Ocean sunfish weighs up to over 5, pounds. The members of this subclass have enlarged pectoral fins and fused pelvic fins. Species include Chondroste, which are primitive ray-finned bony fishes; Holostei or Neopterygii, the intermediate ray-finned fishes like sturgeons, paddlefish, and bichirs; and Teleostei or Neopterygii, the advanced bony fishes such as herring, salmon, and perch.

Bony fish can be found in waters all around the world, freshwater and saltwater both, unlike cartilagenous fish who are found only in salt waters. Marine bony fish live in all the oceans, from shallow to deep waters, and in both cold and warm temperatures. Their lifespans range from a few months to over years. An extreme example of bony fish adaptation is the Antarctic icefish , which lives in waters so cold that antifreeze proteins circulate through its body to keep it from freezing.

Bony fish also comprise virtually all freshwater species living in lakes, rivers, and streams. Sunfish, bass, catfish, trout, and pike are examples of bony fish, as are the freshwater tropical fish that you see in aquariums. Other species of bony fish include:. A bony fish's prey depends on the species but may include plankton , crustaceans e.

Some species of bony fish are virtual omnivores, eating all manner of animal and plant life. Bony fish behavior varies greatly, depending on the species.

Smaller bony fish swim in schools for protection. Some like the tuna swim continually while others stonefish and flatfish spend most of their time lying on the seafloor.

Some such as morays only hunt at night; some like butterfly fishes do so during the day; and others are most active at dawn and dusk. Some bony fish are born sexually mature or become mature shortly after birth; most mature within the first one to five years.

The main reproduction mechanism is external fertilization. During the spawning season, females release hundreds to thousands of eggs in the water, and males release sperm and fertilize the eggs.