Structure and function of skin of fish

The skin forms external covering of the body and performs a number of important
functions in fishes. Besides protecting body against injury and infections, the skin
has respiratory, excretory, and smoregulatory functions. The derivatives of the skin
play important role in metabolic activities of the body. Special structure of some
species like electric organs, poisonous glands and phosphorescent organ is also
integument derivatives.
 Functions:

Mucous cells covering the body of the fish to lubricate to reduce body friction in water while swimming, thus
unable the fish move greater speed.

It protects the body from parasite, fungus, bacteria and other micro organisms.

In turbid or muddy water the mucous has helps in respiration and osmoregulation.

Some marine fishes secrete sticky mucous for preparing nest for egg laying.

The skin performs important functions in repairing the surface wound.

The skin is also an important repiratory organ in certain species like ell, Anguilla, Wallago, Bagarius, climbing
perch etc.

Glandular cells of the epidermis are modified to form poison glands in certain fishes as the Mystus, Clarias,
Hetropneustes, Anguilla species are used for defense.

Phosphorescent organs present in number of marine fishes used for searching food materials.

Chromatophore of various kinds present in the dermis gives beautiful color of the fishes.

Skin has power to absorb dissolved nutritive substances from the surrounding water.
Structure and functions of fin of fishes

Fins are chief organ of locomotion in fishes and are of two kinds, median or
unpaired and paired fins. The median fins include a dorsal on the back, anal on
the ventral side behind the vent and a caudal at the end of tail. The paired fins
are the pectorals and pelvic corresponding to the fore and hind limb of the
terrestrial vertebrates.
Median fins:

The median fins of all fishes develop as a result of differentiation in a continuous

embryonic fin fold. During development a continuous fold of tissue is formed running
dorsally along the back up to the cloaca. Thus fold is then strengthened by a series of
cartilaginous rods and this condition is seen in lampreys and represents s a primitive
condition of the median fin. In higher fishes, separate dorsal, anal and caudal fins are
formed by concentration of the redial in certain areas and degradation of the fold in
intervening spaces between the fins.
In majority of fishes only one dorsal fin present on dorsal surface of the body which
supported fin rays. In some fishes extra dorsal fin present on the dorsal surface
known as second dorsal fin, while in some cases instead of second dorsal fin, there is
muscle elevation known as adipose fin without supported by fin rays. Anal fin
situated ventrally just behind the anus consist of branched and un-branch fin rays.
The caudal fin differs from the dorsal and anal fin in nature of its supporting skeleton
and is of various types:

Protocercal;

Hetrocercal:

Hypocercal:

Diphycercal:
Homocercal type:
Protocercal;

It is considered as ancestral type of caudal fin which encloses notochord or vertebral column. The fin is equally extended above and
below of the vertebral column. This type of caudal fin can be seen in young larval stages of fish and adult Cyclostomes.

Hetrocercal:

Here the vertebral column is bent upwards and upper lobe always longer than the lower lobe. The
fishes of elasmobranches are best example.

Hypocercal:

These are just reverse of hetrocercal. Here the lobes are unequal and vertebral column ends in the
lower lobe always longer than upper lobe, ex. Ostracoderms.

Diphycercal:

The vertebral column is bent downwards. It reaches at the tip of tail fin and both upper and lower
parts are equally developed. This type of fin is present in Holocephali and lung fishes.

Homocercal type:

It is symmetrical caudal fin beyond the end of vertebral column. It can be seen several teleosts
fishes.
Paired fins:

Paired appendages were not present in the ancestral vertebrate and were
developed during the course of early fish evolution. The paired fins are pectoral and
pelvic fins. Pectoral fin is more or less triangular in shape which origin from ventro-
lateral wall of the body just behind the operculum. In some fishes it is modified into
defensive organs e.g. ray fishes and some fishes modified into wing like structure
e.g. Exocetus. A pair of pelvic or ventral fin located ventral surface of the body which
is also supported by fin rays.
Functions:

Fins are main function to locomotion and balancing the body and also change the
direction.

In some fishes pectoral or pelvic fins are function as copulatory organs.

Pectoral fin in some fishes help to jumping and flying for short distance.

Fin formula of fishes help in classification of fishes in different group.

Some fish's fins modified into spine or with poison gland on the base of fins which
help protect from enemy or to catch prey.

To make different types of food item.