Species of fish with skeletons comprised of bone are classified as bony fish.
The bony fish class includes all Osteichthyes, which encompass a large number of subspecies. Their name comes from the fact that all bony fish skeletons are mostly comprised of bone instead of cartilage. Bony fish come in various shapes and sizes and have adapted to almost every habitat on Earth, according to the Courtenay Museum.
Oarfish
The oarfish is the longest bony fish in the ocean. They can grow to lengths of 50 feet. Because this fish lives in deep waters along the ocean floor, live sightings of oarfish are rare. They are only seen when a dead fish washes ashore or a dying fish rises to the surface. These fish are not hunted for food; their meat isn't considered edible, but occasionally fishermen will catch them for sport. Because of the size and rarity of this fish, they are believed to have spawned sea serpent legends.
Devils Hole Pupfish
This is one of the rarest species of fish in the world and definitely the rarest bony fish. The only place to see a Devils Hole pupfish is in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada. Here the pupfish spawns in a 400-foot deep cave which is where it gets its name. The Death Valley cave maintains water at a constant temperature of 93 degrees Fahrenheit, which is vital for the Devils Hole pupfish to survive. The Nevada Department of Wildlife has put forth a large effort toward saving this rare bony fish species.
Zoarcid Fish
The zoarcid is a bony fish rarely seen unless you stumble upon its unusual habitat. These fish are top predators in their ecosystem and grow up to 2 feet in length, according to the National Science Foundation. They live near underwater hydrothermal vents and they eat smaller sea creatures such as shrimp, crabs, mussels and tubeworms. These fish are eel-shaped and white or silver in color. They swim slowly so as not to exert too much energy, because they don't get a lot of food.
Russian Sturgeon
The Russian sturgeon has only recently become a rare fish. Hunted and displaced almost to extinction, these bony fish are harvested for their eggs, which are served as fine caviar. The Russian sturgeon can grow up to 6 feet and lives in saltwater for most of its life but must travel upriver to spawn. The migration is what makes sustaining this species difficult. Because of hydroelectric dams, loss of habitat and over fishing, populations of Russian sturgeon have decreased by 90 percent over the past 40 years, according to the IUCN Red List.
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