Adaptation of the Dorsal Fins to Achieve Its Functions

Adaptation of The Dorsal Fins to Its Functions
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Adaptation of The Dorsal Fins to Its Functions
Introduction
Aquatic life requires various adaptations of the sea creatures to make them survive in the niche. One of the most important aspects is the locomotion of the aquatic creatures searching for food, reproduction, protection from predators, just to mention a few. To achieve locomotion, the fish has various fins that have different functions in ensuring that the fish can effectively move from one place to another. Some of the fins include; the caudal fins, pectoral fins, pelvic, anal fins, and dorsal fins. All these fins function collectively in ensuring that the fish moves effectively since it is adapted to perform different functions. They are of interest in this case if the adaptation of the dorsal fins in achieving various functions in enhancing the locomotion of the fish. The dorsal fins are located at the back of the fish. Primarily the dorsal fin functions by increasing the lateral surface of the body of the fish during swimming ADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"author":[{"dropping-particle":"V.","family":"Drucker, E. G., & Lauder","given":"G.","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2001"]]},"title":"Locomotor function of the dorsal fin in teleost fishes: experimental analysis of wake forces in sunfishe","type":"article-journal"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=747ad1a4-d38b-4d15-b56d-622e55f26130"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"[1]","plainTextFormattedCitation":"[1]","previouslyFormattedCitation":"[1]"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}[1]. Increasing the lateral surface makes the fish achieve more stability though the drag is increased at this circumstance. Thus the dorsal fins help in protecting the fish against sudden turns, during stopping and against rolling. The dorsal fins structure makes it able to shift into other motions, which serves different functions. In addition, the dorsal fins can expand or shrink under different occasions. This paper will provide a comprehensive literature review of the dorsal fins through the different context of adaptation while exploring its functions in different instances.
The motions of the dorsal fins to achieve different functions
Rolling
During locomotion, the fish accelerates at a certain speed and manoeuvres. The dorsal fins always oscillate in a sinusoidal manner with a constant acceleration, thus maintaining its stability. As a result of this movement of the dorsal fins in the sinusoidal movement, it tends to create lateral force. Furthermore, the caudal fin also experiences the same force since it propels the fish forwardADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"author":[{"dropping-particle":"","family":"Drucker, E. G.","given":"& Lauder","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2005"]]},"title":"Locomotor function of the dorsal fin in rainbow trout: kinematic patterns and hydrodynamic forces","type":"article-journal"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=c87b4217-0826-415b-9863-552712425e25"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"[2]","plainTextFormattedCitation":"[2]","previouslyFormattedCitation":"[2]"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}[2]. Therefore the two fins act in regulating the force on the fish. However, the dorsal fin overpowers the caudal by the ability to decrease or increase the acceleration. However, since the two fins accelerate in different magnitudes and forces, there is a need to balance the force production since a big difference leads to the rolling of the fish. Since the dorsal fin is located on the axis of the fish, it creates a rolling axis; thus, the sinusoidal movement makes the fish to balance between the axis, thus maintaining stability. However, different fish have different adaptations towards rolling depending on the shape of the dorsal fin as well as the fish. For instance, Trout fish always requires more lateral force production in the way of compensating the rolling moments of the body.
Protection against predators
Some fishes such as the triggerfish and filefish use the dorsal fins as a protective mechanism as a way of adapting to the environment. These fishes are always attacked by the big fishes when movingADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"author":[{"dropping-particle":"V.","family":"Pavlov","given":"V.","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2003"]]},"title":"Wing design and morphology of the harbor porpoise dorsal fin.","type":"article-journal"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=7c168aa7-49cf-4c69-aabf-ee62cd38016b"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"[3]","plainTextFormattedCitation":"[3]","previouslyFormattedCitation":"[3]"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}[3]. Therefore to sustain themselves in this hard conditions, they are bony fishes; thus, their dorsal fins are characterized by trout spines in their form to give the fins strong support, especially during movement as it enhances massive manoeuvres as a way of escaping the predatorsADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"author":[{"dropping-particle":"","family":"Zhong, Q., Dong, H., & Quinn","given":"D. B.","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2019"]]},"title":"How dorsal fin sharpness affects swimming speed and economy","type":"article-journal"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=89aa516f-4f86-49a4-9e05-cd54d25ecc0e"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"[4]","plainTextFormattedCitation":"[4]","previouslyFormattedCitation":"[4]"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}[4]. Furthermore, the trout spines erect when the fish impedes dangers, thus making it difficult for other aquatic animals to attack them. The spines are always injurious to other animals, thus protecting the fish.
Clinging to large fish
During the movement of the fish, other types of fish have an elongated dorsal fin which makes it possible to attach itself to other large fish. Since the dorsal fins are involved in movement and control the drag on the fish, the fish tends to use the same dorsal fish to attach itself to other animals as a way of maintaining stability. Furthermore, fish always use this notion of protecting themselves against predatorsADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"author":[{"dropping-particle":"","family":"Maia, A., & Wilga","given":"C. A.","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2016"]]},"title":"Dorsal fin function in spiny dogfish during steady swimming","type":"article-journal"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=ce4033a6-d45a-4f05-8e30-1fe8ae373cc5"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"[5]","plainTextFormattedCitation":"[5]","previouslyFormattedCitation":"[5]"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}[5]. This kind of fish has its dorsal fins modified in such a way that the remoras of the dorsal part are modified into a sucking disk, thus allowing itself to be firmly attached to the large fish. The fish always minimize manoeuvring of the body parts, especially the dorsal fins and the caudal fin, thus creating a high thrust thus making it possible for the fish to cling itself slowly at the bottom of the fish.
During stopping
When the fish is moving, forces always act on the fish due to the effect of the fin movement; it always creates the dragging component, which helps in dragging the fins, thus creating a braking scenario or slow movement of the fish depending on the level of the forceADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"author":[{"dropping-particle":"","family":"Consi, T. R., Seifert, P. A., Triantafyllou, M. S., & Edelman","given":"E. R.","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2001"]]},"title":"The dorsal fin engine of the seahorse (Hippocampus sp.).","type":"article-journal"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=d6c89c65-6f05-4bb1-acf5-3313bd4afc55"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"[6]","plainTextFormattedCitation":"[6]","previouslyFormattedCitation":"[6]"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}[6]. Simultaneously the stability of the body is maintained within its axis. As a result of this braking or slow movement, thrust is produced by the body and the tail of the fish. However, different fish have different adaptation and dorsal fin, especially with its functionality affected by the tail fin on the basis of the proximityADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"author":[{"dropping-particle":"V.","family":"Pavlov","given":"V.","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2003"]]},"title":"Wing design and morphology of the harbor porpoise dorsal fin.","type":"article-journal"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=7c168aa7-49cf-4c69-aabf-ee62cd38016b"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"[3]","plainTextFormattedCitation":"[3]","previouslyFormattedCitation":"[3]"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}[3]. For instance, the proximity of the bluegill sunfish is too close in that vortex structures the dorsal fins, and the caudal fins are intact. This is not the case in trout since the dorsal fins and the caudal fins are located further away, thus making it possible to produce a great thrust which leads it to make instant stops as compared to bluegillADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"author":[{"dropping-particle":"","family":"Bubley, W. J., Kneebone, J., Sulikowski, J. A., & Tsang","given":"P. C. W.","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2012"]]},"title":"Reassessment of spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias age and growth using vertebrae and dorsal‐fin spines","type":"article-journal"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=438228a3-d57a-48b1-bfe8-e85aacdb528a"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"[7]","plainTextFormattedCitation":"[7]","previouslyFormattedCitation":"[7]"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}[7].
Achieving sudden turns
When fish is m...