heterocercal

heterocercaltail of a leopard sharkTriakis semifasciata

het·er·o·cer·cal

H0174300 (hĕt′ə-rō-sûr′kəl)adj. Relating to, having, or being a tail fin in which the upper lobe is larger than the lower and the vertebral column extends into the upper lobe, as in sharks.

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[hetero- + Greek kerkos, tail + -al.]

heterocercal

(ˌhɛtərəʊˈsɜːkəl) adj (Zoology) ichthyol of or possessing a tail in which the vertebral column turns upwards and extends into the upper, usually larger, lobe, as in sharks. Compare homocercal[C19: from hetero- + Greek kerkos tail]

het•er•o•cer•cal

(ˌhɛt ər əˈsɜr kəl)

adj. designating or having a tail fin in which the upper lobe is larger than the lower lobe, as in sharks. [1830–40; hetero- + Greek kérk(os) tail + -al¹]

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

heterocercal - possessing a tail with the upper lobe larger than the lower and with the vertebral column prolonged into the upper lobeichthyology - the branch of zoology that studies fisheshomocercal - possessing a symmetrical tail that extends beyond the end of the vertebral column (as in most bony fishes)