The Actinopterygii /ˌæktᵻnˌɒptəˈrɪdʒi.aɪ/, or ray-finned fishes, constitute a class or subclass o the bony fishes.
The ray-finned fishes are so cried acause thay possess lepidotrichia or "fin rays", thair fins being webs o skin supportit bi bony or horny spines ("rays"), as opponed tae the fleshy, lobed fins that characterize the class Sarcopterygii which an aa, however, possess lepidotrichia. These actinopterygian fin rays attach directly tae the proximal or basal skeletal elements, the radials, which represent the link or connection atween these fins an the internal skelet (e.g., pelvic an pectoral girdles).
In terms o nummers, actinopterygians are the dominant class o vertebrates, comprisin nearly 99% o the ower 30,000 species o fish (Davis, Brian 2010). Thay are ubiquitous throughoot freshwatter an marine environments frae the deep sea tae the heichest muntain streams. Extant species can range in size frae Paedocypris, at 8 mm (0.3 in), tae the massive ocean sunfish, at 2,300 kg (5,070 lb), an the lang-bodied oarfish, at 11 m (36 ft).
The Actinopterygii /ˌæktᵻnˌɒptəˈrɪdʒi.aɪ/, or ray-finned fishes, constitute a class or subclass o the bony fishes.
The ray-finned fishes are so cried acause thay possess lepidotrichia or "fin rays", thair fins being webs o skin supportit bi bony or horny spines ("rays"), as opponed tae the fleshy, lobed fins that characterize the class Sarcopterygii which an aa, however, possess lepidotrichia. These actinopterygian fin rays attach directly tae the proximal or basal skeletal elements, the radials, which represent the link or connection atween these fins an the internal skelet (e.g., pelvic an pectoral girdles).
In terms o nummers, actinopterygians are the dominant class o vertebrates, comprisin nearly 99% o the ower 30,000 species o fish (Davis, Brian 2010). Thay are ubiquitous throughoot freshwatter an marine environments frae the deep sea tae the heichest muntain streams. Extant species can range in size frae Paedocypris, at 8 mm (0.3 in), tae the massive ocean sunfish, at 2,300 kg (5,070 lb), an the lang-bodied oarfish, at 11 m (36 ft).
