heterocercal

het·er·o·cer·cal  (ht-r-sûrkl) 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. [hetero- + Greek kerkos, tail + -al.]

heterocercal leopard shark's tail

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heterocercal [ˌhɛtərəʊˈsɜːk^əl]

adj

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / 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

[from hetero- + Greek kerkos tail]

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

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