In the United States, there are approximately 800 species of fish. Each is unique. They’re different in size, shape, length and weight, but they have common characteristics.
Last month, we learned about how fish breathe, move and see. Read on to learn more about fish anatomy.
How fish hear
Fish rely on their hearing to survive. Sound travels much better under water than through the air. Many fish receive sound through ear bones, also known as otoliths, located inside their head.
They also feel sound vibrations in the water on both sides of their body through something called a lateral line. A lateral line is a series of cells on or just below the skin composed partially of hair cells that detect motion and water flow. The lateral line allows fish to sense the movement of other creatures, including frogs, insects and other fish, in the water.
Together, the ear bones and the lateral line allow fish to hunt for food and avoid predators.
Did you know?
Many artificial lures, such as spinner baits, buzz baits, top water baits, crank baits, and dozens of others, use sound as a way to attract fish and get them to bite. Anglers often add rattles that make a knocking noise to their lures to attract fish.
More about the lateral line
Some fish, like bass, feel vibrations from objects in the water through a sensory organ of hair cells that runs along the length of a fish known as a lateral line. These hair cells detect movement, sound vibrations, and pressure changes in surrounding waters.
Fish use their lateral line to locate prey and escape predators. Although a fish’s ability to see and hear are most important, sensing food or predators with the lateral line is very helpful to a fish when the sun is very bright or when the water is too dark or too murky for fish to see.
How fish smell and taste
The senses of taste and smell are closely related, but they perform different roles. For a fish to smell, water enters its nostrils and comes in contact with something called the olfactory bulb. This area transmits smell information from the nose to the brain, allowing fish to detect possible sources of food such as wounded or distressed creatures, including crawfish, minnows and frogs.
Fish only taste after something enters their mouth. They taste through the same olfactory bulb used for smell. If something feels and tastes like food, they hold onto it. If not, they let go.
Did you know?
Fish use their sense of smell during mating, hunting, and feeding. For this reason, many anglers use artificial scents that they spray or rub on lures to help attract fish.
About Hooked
“Hooked” is a new comic strip based on characters taken from the book “Learn To Fish, A Step-By-Step Guide For Beginning Anglers.” It features a multicultural cast of teens who love to fish and decide to form a fishing club in Cleveland. See “Hooked” monthly right here on the Signal Cleveland website produced in partnership with Dennis James Knowles and Gail Ann Grizzell of Cleveland’s The Fishing Foundation.
Ohio does not require those under 16 to have a fishing license. Read more on Ohio fishing laws here.
