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Perch Dissection Lab
Name __________________________________________________ Date _____/_____/
Period _____
Alternate Assignment: Use the URL to complete this report.
http://www.biologyjunction.com/perch_dissection2.htm
Problem: What organs and organ systems are found in a fish?
Hypothesis: (Remember to answer the problem in a complete sentence.) Materials:
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One perch specimen
Safety Glasses
o
o
Dissection kit
Dissection tray
Safety: Handle your specimen carefully and respectfully. Clean all equipment completely when finished. Specimens
have been preserved in chemicals therefore safety glasses are required.
Procedure:
1. External Anatomy – identify each of the following:
Fins: There are two dorsal fins, an anal fin, caudal fin, pectoral fins, and pelvic fins. Identify and describe these
fins.
Scales: Perch have rough or ctenoid scales, use your tweezers to remove one of these scales and make
observations of that scale.
Mouth/mouthparts: Perch have a lower and upper jaw. Which of these is more moveable?
Make observations about both jaws.
Upper Jaw
Lower Jaw
Lateral Line: Line sensitive to vibrations in the water. (DRAW an illustration of this part)
Opercula: Protective cover over the gills.
Lab modified from: http://www.biologyjunction.com/perch_dissection2.htm 2. Internal Anatomy – identify each of the following:
Use a probe to lift the operculum and observe the gills. Use scissors to cut away one operculum to view the gills. Find
the gill slits or spaces between the gills. Use your scalpel to carefully cut out one gill. Find the cartilage support called the
gill arch and the soft gill filaments that make up each gill. MAKE OBSERVATIONS
3. Use dissecting pins to secure the fish to the dissecting pan. Use scissors to carefully
make the cuts through skin and muscle as shown below. Once skin is cut, carefully peel
the skin and muscle off to expose the internal organs.
4. Observations. Write a sentence of what you observe of each internal anatomy part:
a) Swim Bladder
b) Kidney
c) Gonad
d) Stomach
e) Intestine
f) Liver
g) Spleen
h) Heart
5. Use scissors to cut up into head region (on the dorsal side) to observe the Perch Brain, which is lighter in color.
Write at least three OBSERVATIONS.
6. Observe the bone structure of the Perch. MAKE OBSERVATIONS.
CLEAN UP:
1. Throw away all fish parts and your perch.
2. Completely rinse all dissection instruments and place them back in their boxes.
3. Clean and place your dissection tray at the back of the room to dry.
4. Return your goggles to the cabinet.
5. Complete the lab observations and turn in this lab report.
Lab modified from: http://www.biologyjunction.com/perch_dissection2.htm