BIOLOGY RESEARCH

TILAPIA
THE EXTERNAL PARTS OF A TILAPIA

THE LIFE PROCESS OF A TILAPIA

The tilapia is the kingdom animalia and phylum chordata osteichthytes and lives in a habitat such as
fresh water bodies of lakes and brackish water in lagoon.such It has adaptive features such as gills, a
symmetrical body that helps it to survives in it habitat.
Tilapia under goes life processes that all species in kingdom animalia goes through.
Movement
Movement in tilapia is swimming. It uses it fins and muscles situated on either side of the backbone for
forward movement.its muscles are in a block form. Its backbone is made up of small of bones called
vertebrae which are join together to form a long flexible rod. During swimming muscle blocks contract
and relax alternatively on the other side of the backbone.
The dorsal and anal fins stabilize the body and prevent the fish from rolling sideways. The paired
fins,pectoral and pelvic fin,serve for steering, balancing and control upward and downward movement.
The paired fins can also act as brakes when extended.
Nutrition
They are mainly algae feeders. A few species can also use aquatic weeds.Tiliapia mostly feeds from
edges of rivers and lakes between dusk to dawn.The wide of the mouth help in passing a lot of water
through the mouth from which the algae are sieved.
Respiration
It absorbs oxygen from its water environment for respiration and gives out carbondioxide.It uses it gills
in respiring. Its gills can be found within the gill chambers covered by the operculum.Each gill chamber
usually contain four gill arches which bear gill rackers and filaments. During breathing the mouth opens
to take in water containing dissolve oxygen while the operculum is pressed to the head, then the mouth
closes and builds pressure in the mouth. The water then moves into the gill chamber then into the
filaments where it is absorbed into the blood capillaries.At the same time,carbondioxide in capillaries
diffuses into the water.The oxygen in blood stream is carried to the various parts of the body for tissue
respiration.
Excretion
Fishes have kidneys which they use to eliminate waste product from their bodies.The waste products
excreted by fishes are dilute urine and excess water.

Reproduction
Tilapia breed throughout the year of the tropics.They exhibit external fertilization.Both male and female
tilapia shed sperms and eggs respectively into the water as medium of fertilization.The fertilised eggs
are kept in the mouth of the male or female for about two weeks for incubation.The hatched young fish
is called a fry. Laying of eggs is knowns as sprawning.

Adaptations of tilapia to its habitat

1) It has gills which helps in respiration.
2) It has fins which helps in steering and balancing.
3) It scales which protect it from injury.
4) It has a streamline body that help in movement.

Ecological importance of tilapia

1) It serves as a source of income to the fish farmer.
2) It reduces the spread of malaria by eating mosquito lava.

THE EXTERNAL FEATURES OF A TOAD

 Toad
It is from kingdom animalia,phylum chordata,class amphibia,scientific name Bufo regularis. It can be
found in both on land and in water since it is an amphibian. It is mostly found close to fresh waterbodies
like ponds or lakes. Basically, the toad avoids high temperature to prevent the body surface from
becoming dry.
The toad has its body mainly made up of head, trunk and skin, these have many individual features.

Head
i) The head is broad and flattened when veiwed from above.
ii) Its head and trunk are merged together, giving it a streamline body.
iii) It eyes are position on head,the mouth has a wide gap with a long,sticky tongue fixed to the
front of the mouth.
iv) Produces poison-secreting glands located behind eyedrum

TRUNK