
Certain rays of the pectoral fins may be adapted into finger-like projections, such as in sea robins and flying gurnards.In many fish, the pectoral fins aid in walking, especially in the lobe-like fins of some anglerfish and in the mudskipper (see also walking fish).A peculiar function of pectoral fins, highly developed in some fish, is the creation of the dynamic lifting force that assists some fish, such as sharks, in maintaining depth and also enables the " flight" for flying fish.

The paired pectoral fins are located on each side, usually kept folded just behind the operculum, and are homologous to the forelimbs of tetrapods In some † Acanthodii ("spiny sharks"), one or more pairs of "intermediate" or "prepelvic" spines are present between the pectoral and pelvic fins, but these are not associated with fins. In some clades, additional unpaired fins were acquired during evolution (e.g. pelvic fins in † Bobasatrania, caudal fin in ocean sunfish). For every type of fin, there are a number of fish species in which this particular fin has been lost during evolution (e.g. The pectoral and pelvic fins are paired, whereas the dorsal, anal and caudal fins are unpaired and situated along the midline of the body. Fins can also be used for other purposes male sharks and mosquitofish use a modified fin to deliver sperm, thresher sharks use their caudal fin to stun prey, reef stonefish have spines in their dorsal fins that inject venom, anglerfish use the first spine of their dorsal fin like a fishing rod to lure prey, and triggerfish avoid predators by squeezing into coral crevices and using spines in their fins to lock themselves in place.įins can either be paired or unpaired. Most of them use fins when swimming, flying fish use pectoral fins for gliding, and frogfish use them for crawling.

Their principal function is to help the fish swim.įins located in different places on the animal serve different purposes such as moving forward, turning, keeping an upright position or stopping. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the spine and are supported only by muscles.
#MACRO FISH FINS AND SCALES SKIN#
They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as seen in sharks. (4) adipose fin, (5) anal fin, (6) caudal (tail) finįins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of Actinopterygii and Chondrichthyes fishes. (1) pectoral fins (paired), (2) pelvic fins (paired), (3) dorsal fin, Ray fins on a teleost fish, Hector's lanternfish
