11/12/22, 9:06 PM What Is A Fish | All About Fish | DK Find Out

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What is a fish?
A fish is a scaly skinned vertebrate that swims in water and breathes using gills.
“Vertebrate” means that a fish has a skeleton with a spine. Most fish have a
skeleton made from bone, just like amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. But
sharks and rays have skeletons made of a softer, rubbery substance called
cartilage. A fish flaps its tail to swim through water. Instead of legs, they have fins
to help them stay upright and steer. The fins are supported by horny or bony rays
and are covered in skin without scales.
Find out more ›

More than half of all the vertebrates on Earth are

fish.

Fish true or false quiz

Fish scales

Tail fin

Scales

Gills

Common carp

Dorsal fin

Pelvic fin

Pectoral fin

Lateral line

Anal fin

Inside a fish

Fish skeleton

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11/12/22, 9:06 PM What Is A Fish | All About Fish | DK Find Out

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