Article
Article
Fish
Article By:
Bailey, Reeve M. Division of Fishes, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Last reviewed:April 2022
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.519700
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Typically, an aquatic vertebrate with scales, gills, and paired fins. Fishes (Fig. 1) are found throughout the world's waterways, from saltwater oceans to freshwater streams and ponds. About 35,000 species of fishes have been described to date. Many fishes are covered in hard, protective integumentary structures called scales. Nearly all fishes, with the notable exception of Dipnoi, or lungfish, breathe through gills. Gills are also involved in the exchange of acids, inorganic ions, ammonia, and urea between the body and the surrounding environment (water). Fins—paddle-shaped appendages—are used for propulsion, balance, and guidance, and in some species may be as sensitive to touch as fingertips. See also: Dipnoi; Respiratory system; Scale (zoology); Vertebrata
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