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Why do many percoid fishes use their pectoral fins to move backward and forward?
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perciform
Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus orientalis) in the waters near Japan.
Many percoid fishes, which belong to the suborder Percoidei, use their pectoral fins to move backward and forward to achieve high levels of swimming maneuverability in restricted areas. This ability is a key adaptation for these fishes, which are often territorial, bottom-oriented, and investigative shorefishes that frequently navigate complex environments like coral reefs.1
By utilizing their pectoral fins for these precise, short-distance movements, percoid fishes can maintain stability and control while exploring or defending their habitats. This specialized use of the pectoral fins, combined with the adaptability of their protrusible mouths, contributes significantly to the evolutionary success of the percoid group.12