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Centropyge deborae 8/15/16 Later/est higher tax. of Teleosts based on MB
12/22/13 Red Tooth Trigger, evo. affinity w/ delphinids...
9/30/12 Primitive fish? ID... Axolotl likely 11/27/2007 Hi there, I was a sushi restaurant tonight and they have a tank (~50 gallons) with an eel-looking fish in it, but it has two feet (with little bitty toes) up front in place of fins, no fins in the back (one long caudal fin/back fin?) and it has external lungs (I think?) they look little flowers instead of ears. It has a flattened head with two nostrils on the underside also. No one at the restaurant knew what it was. One girl said it is a water salamander. I have done searches since I got home, and no luck yet. She said it also buries itself/wedges itself bc it seems to float otherwise? I saw it just sitting on the bottom. It was in a tank with some other fish (Arowanas-I think, and some angelfish -looking things). Just wondering if you could help me out. I know it is not a mudskipper, and the pictures you guys have of Ropefish and some bichirs and lungfish look a little bit like it, but no external lungs?? <Greetings. The feathery structures you are calling "lungs" would be external gills. Certain amphibians have gills throughout their life, the most famous of which is the Axolotl. Oddly enough, *baby* Bichirs do in fact have external gills, but they lose them once they are more a couple of cm long. It's almost certain this animal was an Axolotl. The varieties kept by hobbyists are usually either grey or pink. Axolotls have broad mouths and short stubby arms and legs. Typical size for an adult is around 20-30 cm. Axolotls are essentially salamander tadpoles that never metamorphose into adult terrestrial salamanders, and just stay being tadpoles, getting bigger and bigger but otherwise not losing their juvenile characteristics. This process -- neoteny -- is surprisingly common in the animal kingdom, and there's good reason to believe that humans are in fact neotenic apes, since in many ways we have the physical attributes of juvenile apes (lack of body hair, big head, flat face, constant learning ability etc.). I hope this helps. Cheers, Neale.> <<Great, Neale... RMF>> Binomial nomenclature pronunciations 1/4/07 I have been searching the web in vain for a website or link to software that gives zoological pronunciations. Are you aware of any? I would prefer an actual audio clip of the correct pronunciation, but a syllable-by-syllable guide would be acceptable. Thanks, and keep up the good work!!!! Robert Nelson <Don't know exactly... but do know where I'd look next. Please search the Congress on Zoological Nomenclature. Bob Fenner who really enjoys etymology...> REAL Fish Names: Taxonomic Classification/Latin Names…resources 11/28/05 Hello <Hello Jay C.> Where can I find a definitive list of taxonomic classification on the WWW. I would prefer one that is searchable i.e. I could type in the name of the organism and it would return the phylum, subphylum etc all the way down to species. <If you are speaking of all animals in general, honestly I am not sure. However I assume that you mean aquatic life, if so please see here: http://www.fishbase.org/search.php .> <<Whenever I want to find the taxonomy, I use the keyword "taxonomy", and if I have the species, or at least genus, add that as a search keyword. Easy peasy lemon squeezy via Google. There are also sites that are specific to particular sciences, many of these do require a fee for access, much like university libraries, etc. Marina>> I have spent over 2 hours searching this morning and cannot find anything so comprehensive. <I think the above may be what you are looking for.> Thank you in advance for your time. <No trouble at all.> Jay Cochrane <Adam Jackson.> Classification of dogfish and tuna 8/29/05 Hi there, could you tell me whether dogfish and tuna are in the same taxonomic class please? <Mmm, the Same Class, as in taxonomic category? Nope... the Dogfish is a shark, belongs to the Class Chondrichthyes, the cartilaginous fishes (sharks, rays, skates, chimaeras), whereas the Tunas are bony fishes, Class Osteichthyes. Bob Fenner> Taxonomic questions Hi <Hello there> Firstly I would like to personally Thank you for this great service. <Welcome> Questions 1- Are the tubeworms that live around hydrothermal vents are more closely related to mollusks than they are to nematodes? <Mmm, actually still in their own phylum I believe... and about mid-way in phylogenetic relationship twixt these phyla> 2-Lugworms and ragworms belong to the phylum Annelida....is this correct ? <Yes... in fact both are Polychaetes...> 3- Are the rorquals and dolphins belong to different taxonomic phyla? <Mmm, no... both cetaceans, toothed whales... different families> 4- Fish lice belong to the same taxonomic phylum as barnacles...is this correct? <Same phylum, different Orders> 5 - Starfish belong to the same taxonomic group as sea cucumber...is this correct? <Same phylum, different Classes> 6- Are the Sea-spider crustaceans...?. <No, but are arthropods> I know this is more than 1 question but I will be very happy ,if you can help me to clear my path by answering these question. Kind Regards Dogan <Learn to use your computer search tools. Bob Fenner> Anthony's Etymology Hey, Bob... Am wondering if you can guide me towards any books/sites on "fishy" etymology. Am wondering about history of the nomenclature for our critters... some A-list lavatory reading material. <Good question... I have some old, and I mean OLD works on word-origins... but would/will direct you to Jeff Howe's articles in FAMA re "New Descriptions"... he almost always lists some such works.... or ones that will lead you to same. Other than that I kindly encourage you to adopt/adapt one of my idiosyncratic behaviors and shop for books when/where you travel about... treasures to be found. Bob F> Re: pollyphyllic, er... two samed...er... Turbinaria question Jack: I believe that it is possible for the same name to be used for a genus of plants and a genus of animals. The two groups are covered by different codes. Incidentally, note that our e-mail addresses have been simplified. Mine is now XXX.edu. The old one seems to be still working, but I'm not sure whether it will continue to in the future. ................ Dave David G. Smith MRC-159 Smithsonian Institution P.O. Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 <Ahh, thank you both. Will be issuing checks should I find myself on "Jeopardy" with the fortuitous "Biological Nomenclature" category! Bob Fenner> Say what? Big Hello to all the WWM crew, <Robert> As everyone has said: This site, it's staff, and it's seemingly endless amount of info has provided this new aquarist with a informed, stress-free start to my first reef, (in fact, first marine)... in short, you guys kick-ass! Now as a paying customer, (lol... I bought Bob's CMA, Anthony's Coral Prop., and NMA reef inverts... constantly re-reading them!) I thought I chime in with a question I can't find asked: <Okay> Where could I find a pronunciation key for scientific names? I would think that such a thing would/should exist on the www, but I can't seem to find it. It may seem a little silly, but being from an area where salt water aquarists are few and far between, I rarely get to hear informed reefer's talking shop. All my info comes in text... so I can spell most of the names and take a shot at pronouncing them, but it's hit or miss. <Not silly, and a good deal of fun to learn, use: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=scientific+name+pronunciation+keys> I wish for this only for my own interest in learning this hobby inside and out, and have a better understanding of the creatures involved ... not to impress anyone! Thanks guys/gals, Robert Smith <Hee hee! More likely you'll find the common (mis)pronunciations to be amusing. Bob Fenner> Fish or fishes? I've noticed on your web pages you use the word fishes a lot. Didn't know if anyone has let you know, but the word is fish. Using it in the plural form is still fish. Just thought I'd let you know. William <Actually... This is not the case. When referring to more than one species the term is fishes... if all the same species or a singular individual the word is fish. A common, too common error. Bob Fenner> Appreciation Hello Fenner Robert, Love your zestful, frolicsome approach to the delightful subject of taxonomy. Viva Zapata indeed! [lol] <Thank you. Small worlds... was just working on the Lobster pages today, ayer...> I myself am a budding amateur taxonomist. Having a ball tracking down orders and families and sorting contradictory data - in my spare time. <Yes, a delight... not for all it seems...> Frankly, I like your take on taxonomy, your whimsical way with a word or a phrase. Drop me an email sometime and tell me more about yourself. Are you a prof? a teaching assistant? Do you love your subject and the fascinating creatures and critters that populate the world as much as it seems? <Ah yes... and just a friendly, neighborhood pet-fish ichthyologist... Some academic background... but matriculated enough to not pontificate... and an abiding regard for order, at least my own ordering and ranking of factual material, ideas, attitudes... as mechanisms to keep myself "in line with what's positive to my nature"> If you're too busy to answer fan mail, I understand. But stay as you are. <No other possibility> Molly P.S. I downloaded a lovely photo of some sow bugs yesterday at the library and was tickled at the reactions to it of my fellow Internet devotees there by the printer. (They were NOT enchanted!) <They will be with your enthusiasm (from the Gk: "en thuus", "the god in you", hence the term "theology". Be chatting. Bob Fenner> |
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