Bony fish

Fact file

Proper name: Phylum Chordata, Class Osteichthyes (oss-tee-ick-thees)
Common name: Bony fish
Examples: Salmon, tuna, goldfish, seahorses

Numbers of species: About 25,000
Where they are found: In the sea and in freshwater

Description: These fish have bony skeletons and thin paired fins. Their bodies are covered in scales and, like sharks, they use gills to get oxygen from water. Most bony fish lay lots of eggs, and take very little care of their young.

Need to know: There are more types of bony fish than any other type of vertebrate. They make up most of the fish that swim in the seas, rivers and lakes.

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