Fashion A FishModified from “Fashion a Fish,” Project WILD

Aquatic

Objectives Students will be able to:

Describe the adaptations of fish to their environments

Describe how adaptations can help fish survive in their habitats

Interpret the importance of adaptation in animals

Construct a fish with a given set of adaptations

Background Aquatic Animal adaptations have occurred

over the course of several years

Adaptations increase likelihood of survival

Some have adapted to a point that they are vulnerable to slight changes

Mouth 1:Sucker Shaped

MouthAdvantage:

Feeds on very small plants and animals

Examples: Sucker, Carp

Mouth 2:Elongated

upper jawAdvantage:

feeds on prey it looks down on

Examples: Spoonbill, Sturgeon

Mouth 3:Elongated

Lower JawAdvantages:

Feeds on prey it sees above

Examples: Barracuda, snook

Mouth 4:Duckbill Jaws

Advantages: Grasps prey

Examples: Muskellunge, Pike

Mouth 5: Extremely

Large JawsAdvantages:

Surrounds PreyExamples:

Bass, Grouper

Body Shape 1:Torpedo Shape

Advantages: Fast Moving

Examples: Trout, Salmon, Tuna

Body Shape 2:Flat Bellied

Advantages: Bottom Feeder

Examples: Catfish, Sucker

Body Shape 3: Vertical Disk

Advantages: Feeds above or below

Examples: Butterfish, Bluegill

Body Shape 4: Horizontal Disk

Advantages: Bottom Dweller

Examples: Flounder, Halibut

Body Shape 5: Hump Backed

Advantages: Stable in fast-moving water

Examples: Sockeye, Salmon, Chub, Razorback

Coloration 1:Light-Colored

BellyAdvantages:

Predators have difficulty seeing it from below

Examples: Most minnows, Perch, Tuna, Mackerel

Coloration 2: Dark Upper Side

Advantages: Predators have difficulty seeing it from above

Examples: Bluegill, Crappie, Barracuda, Flounder

Coloration 3:Vertical Stripes

Advantages: Can hide in vegetation

Examples: Muskellunge, Pickerel, Bluegill

Coloration 4:Horizontal

StripesAdvantages:

Can hide in vegetation

Examples: Yellow and White Bass, Snook

Coloration 5: Mottled

ColorationAdvantages:

Can hide in rocks and on bottom

Examples: Trout, Grouper, Rock Bass, Hogsucker

Reproduction 1:Eggs deposited

in bottomAdvantages:

Hidden from Predators

Examples: Trout, Salmon, most minnows

Reproduction 2:Eggs deposited

in nestsAdvantages:

Protected by adults

Examples: Bass, Stickleback

Reproduction 3:Floating Eggs

Advantages: Dispersed in high numbers

Examples: Striped Bass

Reproduction 4:Eggs attached

to vegetationAdvantages:

Stable until hatching

Examples: Perch, Northern Pike, Carp

Reproduction 5:Live Bearers

Advantages: High Survival Rate

Examples: Guppies