Fish Id: A Guide To East Coast Fishes - Extras

Glossary:

Anal fin: single fin on the lower rear of the fishes body
 
Caudal fin: the tail or tail fin

Corselet: The area of the fishes body which has large scales as opposed to small/or unscaled.
 
Dorsal fin: the prominent fin on the back, can be 1 or more fins. Front dorsal has spiny rays, second and third(if any) softer rays.
 
Finlets: on the tuna and mackerel, these are the small spiny knubs that run from behind the dorsal fins to the beginning of the tail, and from behind the anal fins to the beginning of the tail.

Lateral line: distinctive line of scales running from the head along the side of the body and ending at the beginning of the caudal fin.
 
Pectoral fins: paired fins on the side of the body just behind the gill covers. Also called swim fins.
 
Pelvic fins: paired fins on the lower part of the body just below the gill covers.
 
Spines/Rays: the strong rods in between the soft flexible material of a fin, spiny referring to hard rays, softer spines often just called rays.

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