| Anterior | Area towards the head of the fish |
| Posterior | Area towards the tail end of the fish |
| Ventral | The bottom half of the fish |
| Dorsal | The upper half of the fish |
| Operculum | The bony plate that runs over the gills |
| Maxillary | Upper jaw bone |
| Lateral line | A sensory organ that extends from the anterior to the posterior side of the fish, often separating the ventral from the dorsal side of the fish |
| Caudal fin | Referring to the “tail fin” |
| Anal fin | Referring to the fin that is adjacent to the caudal fin on the ventral side of the fish |
| Pelvic fin | The fin that is adjacent to the anal fin, between the anal and pectoral fin on the ventral side of the fish |
| Pectoral fin | The fin that is nearest to the head of the fish, just behind the operculum |
| Dorsal fin | The large fin that runs along the anterior side of the fish |
| Adipose fin | The small fin that is between the caudal and dorsal fin. This is often absent in hatchery fish, as a visible marking to distinguish hatchery from wild fish |
| Forked | Caudal fin with two distinct lobes separated by a noticeable notch |
| Emarginate | Caudal fin with a slight inward curve or indentation, between a forked and truncated shape |
| Truncate | Caudal fin with a flat end |
| Thigmotaxic | The behavior, motion, or orientation of a fish in response to physical stimuli |
