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In most cases, it is the
tail fin that propels the fish forwards. The dorsal fin on the back
and the anal fin near the tail help in maintaining the balance, as
the fish moves. For steering themselves, fish use pectoral and
pelvic fins.
The flying fish is a
good swimmer. It is also glides with ease and expertise on the
surface of the water. It moves its tail in a rapid fashion and
taxies on the surface of the water, before taking off by spreading
out its pectoral fins. They leap into the air at speeds of thirty
kilometers per hour. They can soar up to six meters into the air.
They can glide for up to four hundred meters and stay airborne for
twenty seconds.
A small fish found on
the coastal mangroves in South Africa, called the mudskipper, spends
much of its time outside water. Its pectoral fins are flexed in the
middle and using these it walks or hops for short bursts of a few
minutes. Another peculiar feature of the mudskipper is that its
eyes, located on top of its head can be swiveled in all directions.
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