Spined loach (Cobitis taenia) is found from Spain and the British Isles east to the Pacific Ocean and Japan. Normally from 2 to 4 inches in length, this loach can reach about 5 inches overall. This brownish loach shows a series of darker spots along the side.

The Cobitis genus contains several European species of loaches.

The loach family (Cobitidae) is native to the Old World. There are representatives in Europe, Asia, and Africa. There aer over 175 species in this family. Most loaches are slim, and some are almost eel like. The mouth has from three to six pairs of barbels. Several species are popular aquarium fish.

Order Cypriniformes contains the majority of the world's freshwater species of fish. Included in this order are the minnows, carp, and many other groups of fish.

Bony fish, Class Teleostomi, are a class of chordates that include the majority of fish-like animals found on earth. They are characterized by a bony jaw and a bony skeleton. They are found in both fresh and marine waters.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

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