Fin

For other uses, see Fin (disambiguation).
Fins typically function as foils that provide lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion in water or air.

A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure.[1] Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fins are also used to increase surface areas for heat transfer purposes, or simply as ornamentation.[2][3]

Fins first evolved on fish as a means of locomotion. Fish fins are used to generate thrust and control the subsequent motion. Fish and other aquatic animals, such as cetaceans, actively propel and steer themselves with pectoral and tail fins. As they swim, they use other fins, such as dorsal and anal fins, to achieve stability and refine their maneuvering.[4][5]

The fins on the tails of cetaceans, ichthyosaurs, metriorhynchids, mosasaurs and plesiosaurs are called flukes.

  1. ^ Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 131. ISBN 9780850451634.
  2. ^ Fin Oxford dictionary. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  3. ^ Fin Archived 2020-11-26 at the Wayback Machine Merriam-Webster dictionary. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sfakiotakis was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Helfman G, Collette BB, Facey DE and Bowen BW (2009) "Functional morphology of locomotion and feeding" Archived 2015-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Chapter 8, pp. 101–116. In:The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781444311907.