Knowra Fish locomotion Fish locomotion Fish locomotion is movement through water powered by body undulations, fin strokes, or both. Its forms range from fast tail-driven swimming to precise maneuvering with paired and median fins.
Undulatory locomotion : Locomotion produced by waves of bending that travel along a body or appendage. Many fish propel themselves by sending a bending wave from trunk to tail.
Hydrodynamics : The study of liquids in motion and the forces they exert. Water flow around a swimming fish determines its drag and generated thrust.
Fish migration : The directed movement of fish between habitats, often linked to feeding, reproduction, or seasonal conditions. Swimming capacity constrains how far and through what currents migrating fish can travel.
Anguilliform locomotion : Undulatory swimming in which waves of bending pass along nearly the entire body. Eels exemplify this flexible, whole-body mode of fish propulsion.
Eel locomotion : Swimming by eels through traveling waves that bend much of their elongated bodies. Eels show how whole-body flexibility supports movement through confined spaces.
Caudal fin : The tail fin of a fish, formed by fin rays supported by the caudal skeleton. Its shape and motion strongly influence thrust, speed, and maneuverability.
Thrust : A force that propels an object forward, produced by pushing fluid or other material backward. Fish accelerate water to produce the forward force that overcomes drag.
Fish schooling : The coordinated swimming of fish in a group, often with aligned movement and spacing. Individual swimming motions combine into collective patterns that can improve coordination.
Carangiform locomotion : Undulatory swimming concentrated in the rear portion of the body and tail. Many streamlined fish use this gait for sustained, relatively fast swimming.
Tuna locomotion : Swimming by tunas, driven mainly by a stiff body and powerful crescent-shaped tail. Tunas illustrate sustained high-speed propulsion with limited body bending.
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