heterocercal Hear it!

heterocercal Definition

hetero·cer·cal (het′ər ō′sʉr′kəl)

adjective

designating, of, or having a tail fin in which the upper lobe is larger than the lower and contains the upturned end of the spinal column, as in certain fishes, esp. sharks

Etymology: < hetero- + Gr kerkos, a tail + -al

heterocercal Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • tail: The primitive dipnoans were marine, and had a heterocercal tail.