HISTORY AND ANATOMY OF THE GOLDFISH 



and a body adapted to rapid locomotion in water, and shaped to ofFer the 

 least resistance and friction in swimming. The goldfish is a member of 

 the carp family, and has been variously known as Cyprinus auratus and 

 Carassius auratus; th.t latter designation being more recently preferred as 

 more distinctive of the ornamental fish as there is a species of food carp 

 which bears the name Cyprinus aureus. 



Anatomy of the Common Goldfish. Fig. i. As one of the bony 

 fishes, it has the vertebrae hollow at the ends, united by ligaments, and 

 having the cavities, filled with a gelatinous substance in order to give to 

 the spme the mobile flexibility requisite to existence in a fluid medium. 





.-17 



la 13 1* a^Tis 16 



COMMON AMERICAN GOLDFISH 



Carassius auratus antericanus. 

 FIG. I — Parts referred to in descriptions. 

 9 Anus. 



1 Snout. 



2 Distance from snout to nape, or occiput. lo 



3 Head. ii 



4 Lateral line. rz 



5 Dorsal fin. 1 3 



6 Base of caudal fin. 14 

 I to 6 Distance from snout to base of caudal fin. i 5 



7 Caudal fin. 1 6 



8 Anal fin 



Ventral fin. 



Pectoral fin. 



Branchiostegals. 



Operculum. 



Eye. 



Upper jaw, or maxillary. 



Lower jaw, or mandible. 



15A. Preorbital. 



1 7 Nostril 



The spinal column is divided into an abdominal and a caudal region, the 

 bones forming the arch through which the spinal cord passes. There are 

 also transverse processes and an inferior arch below, which carries the lower 

 caudal spine and the interspinous bones of the anal fin. The ribs are 

 slender, curved bones each attached to a vertebra and imbedded in the 

 muscles of the sides and abdomen. The interspinous bones in the middle 

 line of the back between the lateral muscles, are connected with the verte- 

 brae by ligaments, their outer ends being interspaced with the median 

 or dorsal fin. The skull is a complicated structure consisting principally of 

 the cranial,the maxillary and inter-maxillary, the prae-operculum, sub-opercu- 

 lum, and inter-operculum, mandible and other smaller intermediary bones. 



