Sub class Actinopterygii The ray-finned fishes

SubSubclass Actinopterygiiclass ActinopterygiiThe ray-finned fishesThe ray-finned fishes

Other Orders - Tetraodontiformes

– Pufferfish, burrfish and porcupinefish - mostly marine, but a few freshwater species

– Tetraodotoxin or tetrodoxin

Other Orders - Tetraodontiformes

– Tetraodotoxin or tetrodoxin

Fugu

Other Orders - Tetraodontiformes

Ocean Sunfish – 3 species

Most fecund vertebrate - >300 million eggs

Other Orders – Pleuronectiformes - flatfishes

• Benthic, mostly marine - both eyes on same side of head

• Eyes on both sides as juveniles, one migrates to other side as individual matures

• Both left and right eyed families

Other Orders - Pleuronectiformes

• 570 species - flounder, soles, halibut

Other Marine Vertebrates

Class Reptilia Order Testudines - Sea turtles Family Dermochelyidae Family Cheloniidae - 1 species - 6 species

Other Marine Vertebrates – sea turtles

Family Dermochelyidae Family Cheloniidae

- all listed or protected by at least one international conservation organization

- usually have both herbivorous and carnivorous life stages

- associated with coral reefs during two life-stages 1) immature (growth) and adult foraging (before reproductive activities)

2) pre-nesting by females

Other Marine Vertebrates – sea turtles

Family Dermochelyidae Family Cheloniidae

Generalized life history

Other Marine Vertebrates – sea turtles

Family Dermochelyidae

- largest turtle in the world – up to 6 ft - only turtle that is functional endotherm - can raise body

temperature 18 C above ambient water temp- can dive to 1230 m (4,000 ft)

- diet is 90% jellyfish

Leatherback

Other Marine Vertebrates – sea turtles

Family Dermochelyidae - Leatherback esophagus is lined with spines to prevent jellyfish from

swimming out

Other Marine Vertebrates – sea turtles

Family Dermochelyidae - Leatherback body temperature is maintained above surrounding seawater - counter-current blood flow system in flippers - thermal inertia - large size and thick layer of fat under skin

counter-current blood flow

Other Marine Vertebrates – sea turtles

Family Cheloniidae –

Flatback TurtleLoggerhead Turtle

Hawksbill Turtle

Olive Ridley Turtle

Other Marine Vertebrates – sea turtles

Family Cheloniidae

Kemp’s Ridley Turtle - rarest of the marine turtles

- ~2000 nests in one location

Other Marine Vertebrates – sea turtles

Family Cheloniidae

Green Turtle – most common marine turtle- 20 nesting locations

Family Dermochelyidae Family Cheloniidae

Sex DeterminationIn most turtles, sex is determined by the incubation temperature of the nest. This is called temperature dependent sex determination (TSD). There are three major patterns of TSD.

A. Males at high tempsB. Males at low tempsC. Males at intermediate temps

Conservation of marine turtles

- By-catch

- Poaching/Products

- Predation

- Disease

- Pollution

Conservation of marine turtles

- By-catch: both long-line fishing and shrimp fishing/trawling

TEDs

Conservation of marine turtles

- Poaching - turtle products

Conservation of marine turtles

- Predation

Conservation of marine turtles

-Disease - fibropapilloma tumors

herpes type virus – no known cause

Conservation of marine turtles

-Pollution•Light plastics

Other marine reptiles

Order Squamata Family Elapidae - sea snakes (also includes cobras,

kraits, coral snakes)

- ~ 70 species are marine - all marine species are limited to Indian and Pacific Oceans - most species are fully aquatic, never leaving the water - strong neurotoxins, but rarely aggressive

Olive seasnake

Yellow-bellied seasnake

Other marine reptiles

Family Elapidae -

Venom delivery mechanism

Proteroglyphous- a single, fixed, hollow fang on the anterior of each maxilla.

Other marine reptiles

Family Elapidae - toxicity

Venom toxicity - The most common measure of toxicity is the LD-50.

This is the amount of a substance that is required

to kill 50% of the test animals (e.g. mice or rats) in one dose.

Name LD-50(mg/kg) RangeBox Jellyfish 0.02 -0.04 ? South Pacific/AustraliaTaipan 0.025 AustraliaBrown Snake 0.0365 AustraliaYellow Sea Snake 0.067 Pacific OceanChinese Cobra 0.29 ChinaPufferfish 0.334 tropical oceansTimber Rattlesnake 5.1 North America

Marine Mammals – Class Mammalia

• Mammals first appear in fossil record about 220 mya

• at least three lineages have invaded the marine environment

Carnivora 1 species

Pinnipedia 34

Sirenia 4

Cetacea 90

Marine Mammals – Class Mammalia

Most important adaptations

- conservation of body heat – large size, blubber

- extremely efficient at absorbing/conserving oxygen

- carry higher conc.of red blood cells, more hemoglobin in blood - muscles carry more myoglobin

Marine Mammals – Class Mammalia

- extremely efficient at absorbing/conserving oxygen

Up to 30 min. Up to 30 min. Over an hour4-5 min.

Marine Mammals – Class Mammalia

Carnivora Pinnipedia

Found in cold waters

Tail is modified pair of hindlimbs

All are carnivorous

Most reach large body sizes – conform to Bergmann’s Rule

Marine Mammals – Class Mammalia

Bergmann’s Rule (1847) – within a given group of organisms, those with larger body sizes will be found at higher latitudes

Elephant seal – 20’California Harbor seal – 6’

Larger animals have a lower surface area to volume ratio – radiate less heat

dugong manatee

Found in warm waters, fully aquatic

All are the only herbivorous marine mammals

Have lost hindlimbs entirely

Three manatee species occur in Atlantic Ocean coastal areas - Dugong occurs from East Africa to western Pacific islands

All four species of conservation concern, all listed as CITES species

CITES = Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species

Stellar’s Sea Cow

Commander Islands

Described by science in 1741Extinct by 1768

Marine Mammals – Class Mammalia

Cetaceans

Mostly found in colder waters – warmer waters for reproduction

Most complete transformation to aquatic life

• very streamlined bodies• loss of hindlimbs• strong convergent evolution

Marine Mammals – Class Mammalia

Cetaceans

Most complete transformation to aquatic life

• very streamlined bodies – speeds up to 40 mph • blowhole at top of head – some species can empty and refill lungs in 2 second

• most efficient use of oxygen

•Best developed system of echolocation

Marine Mammals – Class Mammalia

CetaceansTwo groups – Baleen Whales Toothed Whales18 species 72 species