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Dorsal fins: Located on the back of the fish, dorsal fins serve to prevent the fish from rolling and assist in sudden turns and stops. Most fishes have one dorsal fin, but some fishes have two or three. In anglerfish, the anterior of the dorsal fin is modified into an illicium and esca, a biological equivalent to a fishing rod and lure.
A fish can have up to three dorsal fins. The dorsal fins serve to protect the fish against rolling, and assist it in sudden turns and stops. In anglerfish, the anterior of the dorsal fin is modified into an illicium and esca, a biological equivalent to a fishing rod and lure; The bones that support the dorsal fin are called pterygiophores.
The illicium is the detached and modified first three spines of the anterior dorsal fin. In most anglerfish species, the longest filament is the first. This first spine protrudes above the fish's eyes and terminates in an irregular growth of flesh (the esca), and can move in all directions.
Pertaining to the lower side (usually of the head). interdorsal Between the dorsal fins. interorbital The space between the orbits. intromittent organ A structure to facilitate sperm transfer in some internally fertilizing species. iris lappet A fleshy flap or lobe-like structure in the eye, short and rounded, simple or multiply branched. isthmus
The dorsal fin spines of dogfish sharks and chimaeras, the stinging tail spines of stingrays, and the "saw" teeth of sawfishes and sawsharks are fused and modified placoid scales. Surgeonfish have a scalpel-like blade, which is a modified scale, on either side of the caudal peduncle. [56]
The shape, size, position and colour of the dorsal fin varies with the type of billfish, and can be a simple way to identify a billfish species. For example, the white marlin has a dorsal fin with a curved front edge and is covered with black spots. [4] The huge dorsal fin, or sail, of the sailfish is kept retracted most of the time. Sailfish ...
Polypterids are elongated fish with a unique series of dorsal finlets which vary in number from seven to 18, instead of a single dorsal fin. Each of the dorsal finlets has bifid (double-edged) tips, and are the only fins with spines; the rest of the fins are composed of soft rays. The body is covered in thick, bonelike, and rhombic scales.
The large pectoral fins are normally carried horizontally, perhaps helping the fish attain the profile of a shark. The first dorsal fin has six to nine independent, short, stout, sharp spines. The family name Rachycentridae, from the Greek words rhachis ("spine") and kentron ("sting"), was inspired by these dorsal spines. The mature cobia has a ...