DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.

Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1

Introduction
1

Countable characters.
fixed usually at or before
metamorphosis and remain constant
throughout the life
Treat these characters separately and
find frequency distribution - to give
variation between species or
populations.
Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH
 DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1

Abbreviations used
2

D – Dorsal fin (D1 first DF; D2 second DF)

A – Anal fin
P1 – Pectoral fin
P2 or V2 – Ventral fin
C – Caudal fin
L1 – Lateral line scales
Ltr – Lateral transverse row of scales
O – Adipose dorsal fin
Gr – Gill rakers

Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH

 DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1

Dorsal fin count & anal fin count - includes spines

and rays.
3 spines & 7 branched rays in a single dorsal fin -
DIII, 7
2 spines & 5 rays in anal fin - AII, 5
Pectoral fin count - make on left side - counts can
also be made on both sides in a few number of
specimens to permit estimation of bilateral
variations.

Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH

 DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1

Fin Formulae
4

D1, I, VII-VIII - First dorsal fin with one spine the

rest of spines (VII-VIII)
D2, I, 15-16 - second dorsal fin with one spine &
15-16 rays
AII, I, 10-15 - Anal fin with two spines separated
from one spine & 10-15 rays

Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH

 DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1

Gill Raker Counts

5

Count on first arch - left side.

Raker at junction of upper & lower limbs
(epibranchial and ceratobranchial) - included in
lower limb count as major part of base of raker is
over the ceratobranchial.
Rudimentary gill rakers, with the base width
(lateral) of the raker equal to, or less than the raker
length, occur at the anterior ends of the upper and
lower limbs & these are included in the counts,
though differentiated as ii, 7+19, iv = 32
Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH
 DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1

Laterial line scales (L1)

6

Scales along the lateral line from its origin to its

posterior most part of the lateral line.
In some teleostean fishes as in clupeids lateral
line is absent. In such case scales will be counted
along the row where the lateral line normally would
have been present.

Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH

 DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1

Predorsal scales
7

Scales on the midline in front of the dorsal fin

origin.
These scales are counted as the scale rows which
intersect the midline from the anterior point of the
dorsal fin to the orbit.

Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH

 DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1
Scales above and below the lateral line (Ltr)
8

A transverse series of scales above & below of

lateral line
Below the lateral line scales - counted from origin
of anal fin, not including median ventral scale row,
along a forward diagonal to lateral line
Above lateral line scales - counted from origin of
dorsal fin, not including median dorsal scale row,
on a diagonal backward to lateral line; lateral line
row is not included in these counts.

Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH

 DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1
.

1. Supra temporal band

2. Predorsal scale
3. Upper scale rows
4. Lateral line
5. Lower scale rows
Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH
 DEVELOPMENT OF E-COURSES FOR B.F.Sc COURSES TOPIC
TOPIC: Classical Taxonomy-Meristics
COURSE ID: DFB1
.

10

Author: Dr. JAWAHAR -TAXONOMY OF FINFISH