Animal Adaptations 1 | Project Oceanology

Unidentified Animal 1

Based on the videos below see if you can identify the specimen that was retrieved in the otter trawl.

For each question there will be 1 - 3 choices for you to decide between. To move to the next option, click "Choice A", "Choice B", or "Choice C". If you answer a question incorrectly, you will be directed to a drawing of an organism. Click the blue button below the drawing to return to the question to try again.

Question 1

Choice A: Caudal ("tail") fin is forked (curves deeply inward); pectoral fins are sharply pointed.

Choice B: Caudal ("tail") fin is straight or rounded; pectoral fins are rounded.

Question 2

Choice A: Bright red body; large eyes with golden irises; pelvic fins are larger than the pectoral fins.

Choice B: Eyes are not golden or particularly large; pelvic fins are the same size or smaller than the pectoral fins.

Question 3

Choice A: Depth of body about 1/2 length; no obvious spine at rear lower corner of preopercle (cheekbone); 17-21 gill rakers.

Choice B: Depth of body about 2/5 length; with obvious spine at corner of preopercle; 15-18 gill rakers.

Choice C: Depth of body about 1/3 length; no obvious spine at rear lower corner of preopercle; 23-24 gill rakers.

Choice D: None of the above.

Question 4

Choice A: Head region in front of eyes ("forehead") is concave (curves inward); with a black bar on head through eye and a large black spot on base of dorsal fin.

Choice B: Head region in front of eyes ("forehead") is flat or convex (curves outward); no black bar through eye; no spot on dorsal fin.

Queston 5

Question 5

Choice A: Dorsal fin about half spiny rayed and half soft rayed; the anal fin is higher than long.

Choice B: The soft rayed portion of the dorsal fin is much shorter than the spiny rayed portion; the anal fin is longer than high.

Question 6

Choice A: With scales on gill covers; snout somewhat pointed; forehead (above eyes) rather flat; grows up to about 26 cm (10") long.

Choice B: Without scales on gill covers; snout blunt; forehead (above eyes) highly arches; grows up to about 90 cm (3') long.

Scup

Stenotomus chrysops, scup (porgy)

Silvery, iridescent; usually less than 30 cm (12") long; very common in bays and sounds.

caudal fin curves

deeply inward

pectoral fins are pointed

Incorrect

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family Priacanthidae, bigeyes

Bright red body, golden eyes; usually less than 8 cm (3") long, but may reach 30 cm (1').

large pelvic fin

spine on preopercle

large, golden eyes

caudal fin straight

Incorrect

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Bigeyes

Chaetodon ocellatus, spotfin butterflyfish

White, with yellow fins, with a black band through eyes, with a dark spot on base of dorsal fin; up to 15 cm (6") long.

caudal fin rounded

black spot

concave forehead

black bar

Incorrect

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Butterflyfish

Centropristis striata, black sea bass

Gray, brown, or blue-black; up to 50 cm (20") long.

caudal fin rounded

dorsal fin about half

spiny and half soft rayed

anal fin higher than long

CORRECT You have successfully identified the Black Sea Bass

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Black Sea Bass

Tautogolabrus adspersus, cunner

Color variable, often iridescent on a reddish-brown background, sometimes greenish when young; up to 25 com (10") long; very common throughout southern New England.

caudal fin rounded

dorsal fin with long spiny portion

and short soft rayed portion

flattened forehead

scales on gill cover

anal fin longer than high

pointed snout

Incorrect

Click here to return to the first question to try again

Cunner

Tautoga onitis, tautog

Black or gray, sometime brown when young; up to about 90 cm (3') long; very common in bays and sounds, especially near rocks and boulders.

Unidentified Animal 1

Based on the videos below see if you can identify the specimen that was retrieved in the otter trawl.

Question 1

Choice A: Caudal ("tail") fin is forked (curves deeply inward); pectoral fins are sharply pointed.

Choice B: Caudal ("tail") fin is straight or rounded; pectoral fins are rounded.

Question 2

Choice A: Bright red body; large eyes with golden irises; pelvic fins are larger than the pectoral fins.

Choice B: Eyes are not golden or particularly large; pelvic fins are the same size or smaller than the pectoral fins.

Question 3

Choice A: Depth of body about 1/2 length; no obvious spine at rear lower corner of preopercle (cheekbone); 17-21 gill rakers.

​

Choice B: Depth of body about 2/5 length; with obvious spine at corner of preopercle; 15-18 gill rakers.

Choice C: Depth of body about 1/3 length; no obvious spine at rear lower corner of preopercle; 23-24 gill rakers.

​

Choice D: None of the above.

Question 4

Choice A: Head region in front of eyes ("forehead") is concave (curves inward); with a black bar on head through eye and a large black spot on base of dorsal fin.

Choice B: Head region in front of eyes ("forehead") is flat or convex (curves outward); no black bar through eye; no spot on dorsal fin.

Question 5

Choice A: Dorsal fin about half spiny rayed and half soft rayed; the anal fin is higher than long.

Choice B: The soft rayed portion of the dorsal fin is much shorter than the spiny rayed portion; the anal fin is longer than high.

Question 6

Choice A: With scales on gill covers; snout somewhat pointed; forehead (above eyes) rather flat; grows up to about 26 cm (10") long.

Choice B: Without scales on gill covers; snout blunt; forehead (above eyes) highly arches; grows up to about 90 cm (3') long.

Stenotomus chrysops, scup (porgy)

Silvery, iridescent; usually less than 30 cm (12") long; very common in bays and sounds.

caudal fin curves

deeply inward

pectoral fins are pointed

family Priacanthidae, bigeyes

Bright red body, golden eyes; usually less than 8 cm (3") long, but may reach 30 cm (1').

large pelvic fin

spine on preopercle

large, golden eyes

caudal fin straight

Chaetodon ocellatus, spotfin butterflyfish

White, with yellow fins, with a black band through eyes, with a dark spot on base of dorsal fin; up to 15 cm (6") long.

caudal fin rounded

black spot

concave forehead

black bar

Centropristis striata, black sea bass

Gray, brown, or blue-black; up to 50 cm (20") long.

caudal fin rounded

dorsal fin about half

spiny and half soft rayed

anal fin higher than long

CORRECT You have successfully identified the Black Sea Bass

Tautogolabrus adspersus, cunner

Color variable, often iridescent on a reddish-brown background, sometimes greenish when young; up to 25 com (10") long; very common throughout southern New England.

caudal fin rounded

dorsal fin with long spiny portion

and short soft rayed portion

flattened forehead

scales on gill cover

anal fin longer than high

pointed snout

Tautoga onitis, tautog

Black or gray, sometime brown when young; up to about 90 cm (3') long; very common in bays and sounds, especially near rocks and boulders.

caudal fin rounded

dorsal fin with long spiny portion and

short soft rayed portion

highly arched forehead

no scales on gill cover

blunt snout

anal fin longer than high