Fish locomotion

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Fish locomotion is the various types of animal locomotion used by fish, principally by swimming. This is achieved in different groups of fish by a variety of mechanisms of propulsion, most often by wave-like lateral flexions of the fish's body and tail in the water, and in various specialised fish by motions of the fins. The major forms of locomotion in fish are: Anguilliform, in which a wave passes evenly along a long slender body; Sub-carangiform, in which the wave increases quickly in amplitude towards the tail; Carangiform, in which the wave is concentrated near the tail, which oscillates rapidly; Thunniform, rapid swimming with a large powerful crescent-shaped tail; and Ostraciiform, with almost no oscillation except of the tail fin. More specialized fish include movement by pectoral fins with a mainly stiff body, opposed sculling with dorsal and anal fins, as in the sunfish; and movement by propagating a wave along the long fins with a motionless body, as in the knifefish or featherbacks...

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