Anatomical cluster including all segmented-and-branched rays plus one unbranched but segmented ray located at the leading margin in each lobe of the caudal fin (Hubbs and Lagler, 1947) and that associates with endoskeletal elements such as hypurals and hemal spines of preural centra 1 and 2 (Arratia, 2008). Caudal principal rays are counted from the dorsalmost one ventrally. Caudal principal rays are unpaired median bones. [ TAO:GA_TG ]
Synonyms: caudal principal lepidotrichia branched caudal rays
Term information
In basal teleosts the number of caudal principal rays is about 20. A decreasing of the number of the branched-and segmented rays is observed in more advanced teleosts (see Schultze and Arratia, 1989; Arratia, 1991, 2008). The presence of marginal principal caudal rays as long or longer than the branched-and-segmented principal rays is a synapomorphy of teleosts (Arratia, 2008, 2009).
This class was sourced from an external ontology (teleost_anatomy). Its definitions, naming conventions and relationships may need to be checked for compatibility with uberon
Term relations
- anatomical cluster
- part of some caudal fin skeleton
- has part some caudal principal ray
- composed primarily of some caudal principal ray