Class Osteichthyes includes both marine and fresh water fishes with bony endoskeleton. Their body is streamlined. Mouth is mostly terminal (Figure). They have four pairs of gills which are covered by an operculum on each side. Skin is covered with cycloid/ctenoid scales. Air bladder is present which regulates buoyancy. Heart is two-chambered (one auricle and one ventricle). They are cold-blooded animals. Sexes are separate. Fertilization is usually external. They are mostly oviparous and development is direct.
Fig: (a) Hippocampus (Sea horse), (b) catla
Examples: Marine – Exocoetus (Flying fish), Hippocampus (Sea horse); Freshwater – Labeo (Rohu), Catla (Katla), Clarias (Magur); Aquarium – Betta (Fighting fish), Pterophyllum (Angel fish).
