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The fins are long and hard, with the skeleton inside. The characteristic feature of many sharks is the large triangular dorsal fin that has become a symbol of all sharks around the world. In movies, this image always causes suspense and fear.
Sharks also have a characteristic tail fin. However, their shape is diverse, because each species has adapted to a different environment.
Usually, the upper part of the caudal fin is larger than the lower part. This is because the spines of these fish extend from the upper part of the fins, increasing the area of muscle attachment. As a result, sharks swim more efficiently, for example, in tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier), such a tail structure allows it to accelerate quickly. However, the porbeagle (Lamna nasus) is an exception, as it has a larger lower tail fin, allowing sharks to catch up with their prey fast, such as mackerel or herring.
Most sharks have such a fin structure, so that they quickly catch prey instead of chasing for long periods. Sharks belong to the Alopias genus especially in this respect, as they have an upper tail fin that is as long as the body. When hunting, they swim in the middle of the fish and use the tail to whip the water, making the prey shocked and confused.
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