#fish exist

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

I have a question for you that is tangentially related to some of your recent posts. I remember reading a while ago that the term "fish" is somewhat controversial for taxonomists because of how many animals are fish and (I think) that what are generally considered fish don't fit in a single clade without including all other tetrapods (and maybe also vertebrates) (on a related note, I'm pretty sure the same is true for trees but without the controversy). Do you know if I my memory is correct and, if so, where do you stand on the controversy. I'm assuming you'd be pro-"fish" as a term. Also very sorry if this doesn't make sense. I tried my best but I feel that it may still be confusing. Also have a great day! (And happy late/early birthday to your spouse! (you have one of those I think))

Hello! (Spouse's bday is Feb 12 :) so veeeery early and he's scared of turning 32 so)

so we have to do a little history of science here

"fish" is a term that existed before science, or at least, modern science. it basically meant "aquatic organism". it wasn't a relational term, so we didn't treat it like one

then Linnaeus, annoying taxonomist from whom we will never escape, decided that "fish" meant, specifically, certain types of aquatic vertebrates: Chondrichthyes, Actinopterygii, and Sarcopterygii without tetrapods

so, for most biologists for the past three hundred years, "fish" has meant Aquatic Non-Tetrapod Vertebrate

so the whole thing with "jellyfish" and "starfish" isn't really relevant to the discussion because they were already thrown out of the fish group to begin with

now, we are trying to use cladistics instead of Linnaeus bc linnaeus' system doesn't work for fossil organisms

which means we group organisms based on descent, not traits

which means tetrapods, which descended specifically from lobe-finned fish

are lobe-finned fish

so, we have the situation where whales were fish (pre linnaeus, aquatic organism) and then weren't (mammals aren't fish) and then are again (mammals are fish)

the people who say "fish aren't real" are ignoring that important middle step where scientists decided that fish was just a vertebrate term; they're acting like "jellyfish" and "starfish" are still considered fish when they haven't been for 300 years

so, yeah. I'm pro fish. much of tetrapod anatomy is only explicable when you remember we are fish. but, ultimately, I'm not going to correct people on that one

alternatively, we just start calling everything actinopterygiian or sarcopterygiian or chondrichthyan or whatever. I doubt people will get behind that though

yeah I wish the history of science was taught better bc a lot of these discussions would become sooooo much more streamlined

[wasyago]

something incredibly self indulgent

[codgod]

it’s already june here but it’s mermay in Most Places still, so here’s some several-years-post-canon codfather

[honkceasar]

Thinking about riptide 86 again. Shocker to absolutely no one

[serpentface]

Yotici got another redesign (pictured here with tentacles dropped, which would usually be held flat under the body when not in use).

They still have no definitive place in the tree of life besides 'some kinda stem fish lineage that doesn't exist irl', loosely set within the lobe-finned fish. Their beaks are very similar to parrotfish in being formed of fused teeth, which are very tough and accommodate wear from sediment in their diet (mostly consisted of seagrass, but also including kelps/other seaweeds, algae, living corals, some invertebrates). The tentacles are derived from clasper-like reproductive organs and are functional, fairly strong manipulating limbs (though not built for heavy lifting).

They are large, slow moving animals, capable of delicate maneuvering and short bursts of speed but not continual fast pace. Size and community protection provides most of their defense from common predation, though they are very vulnerable to predation from People with Harpoons due to their slow speed and shallow water habitats.

[butchriptide]

I've seen people make human AUs and equate Winter's scavenger fascination with being like. a crazy cat person. and while that is really good and I do think Winter would and should be crazy about cats, I do think like... if you are going to give him an equivalent interest you gotta go nicher than that. Like, being a Cat PersonTM is a thing like half the population identifies at. You GOTTA go stranger. He needs to be regularly attending reptile conventions. He needs to daydream about owning a praying mantis. He needs to yell at underpayed PetSmart workers about how small the fish tanks are that they keep the bettas in. He needs to be offered the chance to hold a snake and he needs to talk to that snake like he's greeting the queen. He needs to show you photos of tarantulas please please please look at his pictures please of his tarantulas

[silusvesuius]

testing out drawing maormer 🪸🐚🪸 and a nelvas 🧣📜🩷 i'll ramble about maormer a bit in the tags

[fishyfishyfishtimes]

Daily fish fact #497

Tripod fish!

Their name comes from their tendency to rest completely still on their elongated fins, giving them the appearance of a tripod! When they’re still, their fins appear stiff, but interestingly, when the fish are actually swimming they seem flexible; this had lead to some theories that the fish may pump their fins full of fluids to make them stiff but they’re otherwise quite bendy.

[poppytuft]

trying not to talk too much abt the bear s2 but im Really fuckin frustrated that even with everyone demanding that they’re sooo media literate and sooo smart that no one has talked about claire and the way she sparks audience discomfort. like, she feels out of place within the show because CARMY cannot accept that he is getting this good thing—she feels out of place in HIS life. she’s actually crafted to be the ideal girlfriend, with glowy bokeh lighting in a grocery store and beauty shot close ups and a sweet instrumental leitmotif to show to you, an audience member, that she’s too good to be true in carmys eyes. if you’re an audience member, she raises alarm bells in YOUR head because she raises alarm bells in HIS. he literally tells us that—that’s the crux of his final monologue, that he doesn’t believe he can have the life of food and wines best chef and a life of love and human connection. he doesn’t believe he’s deserving of good things because his family has always been so fucked, because nothing he’s ever tried to hold together has held together—except for his cooking. it’s done this way on purpose, to make you feel that anxiety that he feels around this relationship, and to make you question why you feel it too

[wojakgallery]

Title/Name: Fishjak / Soyfish Wojak Series: Animal (Variant), Soyjak (Variant) Image submission by: @existing-everywhere on Tumblr Image by: Unknown Main Tag: Fish Wojak

[thursdaythen]

[dathen]

“What if Dracula WASNT evil and he and Jonathan had a tense gay romance…until Jonathan realized he didn’t want to go home” pals may I introduce you to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

[s0ljpeg]

VW MERM AUUU HEHEHQJSH + first post on here (if yall wanna know more abt it lmk so I can yap abt it🙏)

[aratakatism]

rusty james if you even care …

[ratatatastic]

the things ekky has done or said that i cant stop thinking about. the 4 minute cut.

[bauliya]

i really think this was the novel that birthed ecocriticism like my god. 1851. 1851!