Select the one animal that has all of the fish traits listed above.
Salmon lay eggs with no shells at the bottom of freshwater streams. Salmon use their powerful fins to swim. They can even jump up small waterfalls! Red salamanders do not have lungs! They can breathe through their moist, smooth skin. Adult red salamanders live near rivers or ponds. They lay eggs with no shells under rocks or logs. The baby red salamanders live underwater.
Fish are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify fish:
They have fins, not limbs.
They make eggs with no shells. Observe the animals and read the descriptions.
Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group.
To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Fish have the following traits:
They have fins, not limbs.
They make eggs with no shells.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
A salmon has the following traits:
It has fins, not limbs.
It makes eggs with no shells.
A salmon has the traits of a fish. A salmon is a fish.
A red salamander has the following traits:
It spends part of its life in water and part on land.
It has moist skin.
It makes eggs with no shells.
A red salamander does not have all of the traits of a fish. A red salamander is an amphibian.