Blueline snapper

Fish without tails:

You may have thought that a fish without a tail is not long for this world. But look again. These fish have been thriving at a couple of our dive sites for a number of years - in spite of their loss! That's because the muscles along the length of the body - and not the tail - propel the fish through the water. The muscles are hidden by the skin and scales, but if the skin is removed, the W-shaped segments are visible as the part of the fish that some folks eat. S-shaped waves of contracting muscles moving from the head to the tail force the body forward. To demonstrate this, one curious scientist actually trimmed the tail fin off a fish with a pair of scissors, and then watched as it and other fish reacted when he startled them in their tank. As you now expect, the fish with the missing tail did just fine. The tail fin may make it easier for the fish to maneuver, but it is the body muscles that do most of the work. Come visit these survivors!

Pinktail triggerfish
(you'll have to take our word for it!)

Mike Severns Diving HOME

Mail to: severns@mauigateway.com

Copyright 2001 Mike Severns Diving
The information contained in this web site
may not be republished or redistributed without the
prior written authority of Mike Severns Diving.