home   Printer friendly version Add to site
Advanced search
Time & Space Fossil Gallery Famous Flora & Fauna
Careers Resources K-12 Collections PaleoPeople

Fishes

> Agnathans | Placoderms and Acanthodians | Sharks and Relatives | Ray-finned Fish | Lobe-finned Fish

See More Images
(42 total)

Escuminaspis laticeps
Escuminaspis laticeps
© 2008 Miguasha National Park, Quebec

Ctenacanthus amblyxiphias
Ctenacanthus amblyxiphias
© 2003 Michael J. Everhart

Cheirolepis canadensis
Cheirolepis canadensis
© 2008 Miguasha National Park, Quebec

What are Fishes? The fishes include all the vertebrates that are not tetrapods. Most fishes have an elongate body, fins in different arrangements, and some type of body covering like scales or bony plates. Most breathe by means of gills, and all but the agnathans have jaws. All have skeletons composed of bone, except for the sharks and their relatives, whose skeletons are cartilaginous. Fishes have been around since the Cambrian, and different forms have been very diverse throughout the Phanerozoic.

First known fossil occurrence: Cambrian.

Last known fossil occurrence: Quaternary. This group has living relatives.

Cool Fishes links:

Search for images of Fishes on Google

help