Marine Living

Fish come in many shapes, colors and sizes - in fact, there are thought to be over 20,000 species of marine fish. But all bony fish (fish that have a bony skeleton, as opposed to sharks and rays, whose skeleton is made of cartilage) have the same basic body plan. (Click here for a larger diagram showing fish body parts)Fish have several types of fins, and they may have stiff rays in them to keep them upright. Here are the types of fish fins and where they are located: Dorsal fin: on the fish's backAnal fin: near the tail, on the underside of the fishPectoral fins: a fin on each side of the fish, near its headPelvic fins: a fin on each side of the fish, on the underside near its headCaudal fin: the tail

Depending on where they are located, a fish's fins may be used for stability and hydrodynamics (e.g., the dorsal fin and anal fin), propulsion (e.g., caudal fin), and/or steering (e.g., the pectoral fins)

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