MRB 143: MARINE VERTEBRATES

Laboratory Exercise No. 7& 8

Name: Aira L. Paculba

Date Submitted: December 17, 2022

FISH: Identification & Documentation

Directions:
1. Prepare the following materials:
a. Book references
b. Forceps
c. Tray/Styrofoam
d. Pins
e. Toothpicks
f. Formalin 10%
g. Paintbrush
h. Magnifying glass
i. Ruler/caliper
j. Transparent glass
k. Colored paper (either blue/black/white)
l. Fish sample
m. Tissue

2. Prepare your fish samples by washing it in clean water and make sure to remove any mucus
(the slimy covering of fish), especially in the fins’ areas, eyes, and some parts of the head. Do
this by gently rubbing the body surface with fingertips to remove extraneous materials. Care
must be done during rinsing to avoid breaking of scales and fin membranes if your samples are
stored longer in the freezer. Note that your fish sample must be clean during documentation.
3. Once clean and free of any grime or mucus, measure the standard size (in mm) of the fish using
a ruler or caliper. Do not forget to include the size of your fish after writing it’s identified
scientific name in our output.
4. After measurement, identify the fish up to species level using the book of Nakabo, 2002 and
FAO Identification guide (see this link: http://bit.ly/3Gwh50z).
5. Once fish is correctly identified, start fixing the fish (see guide of Motomura, 2013, pp 19-45,
Step 7-8, and Information 1-2). Keep the body of the fish moisted using a wet tissue. This is to
keep your fish fresh. If the mouth of the fish is open, close it by putting a pin/toothpick below
the mouth to keep it closed.
6. Once the fish is fixed with the fins already spread, brush the formalin solution (10%) from the
base of the fins and spread using a paint brush towards the tips of the spines and rays. Include
brushing formalin also on the mouth of the fish if it is constantly open before fixing. Take that
while brushing the formalin on the fins of the fish, care must be observed to avoid any damage
on the fin’s membrane. In photography these parts should be intact.
7. After the application of the formalin, wait for a while until the fins won’t go back to its former
state before fixing if you remove the pins.
8. Once all of this is done, use your phone or any advanced camera to take a picture of fish using
the of Motomura, 2013 (Information 1-2). Edit your pictures through any application you have in
your phone or you can also do adobe photoshop to remove shadows and unwanted items on
the picture, and even do filtering or enhancement or changing background color

9.
Family Name: Mullidae
Scientific Name: Parupeneus multifasciatus (A, adult 231 mm TL)
Common Name: Manybar goatfish
Local Name: Timbungan, Bisugo, Agingoy, Ubakan, Timhungan, Tiao
Identification by Parapeneus multifasciatus using Nakboo, 2002 and Fishbase (Quoy& Gaimard 1825)
Identification guide Proof

1. Dorsal-fin based entirely scaleless.

2. Dark bands below 2nd dorsal fin and on dorsal

side of caudal peduncle

3. Lower-jaw barbels long, extending past posterior

margin of preopercle when depressed; barbels
white or yellow in adults

4. Dorsal fin sharp rays usually 8, with usually 9 soft

rays (there's a very short ray where the red
arrow is pointing)

D VIII-9

5. Pelvic fin usually 15-16 rays

P1 15-16
6. With standard length of 30 cm

7. With total length of 35 cm