ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cephalopod fin

Imagine you are watching a cartoon and you see a funny-looking sea creature swimming through the water. This creature has eight long arms that are really good at grabbing onto things, and a big head that looks kind of like a squishy balloon.

Now, did you notice anything else about the creature while it was swimming? Maybe you saw something that looked like a funny-shaped tail or maybe even a pair of fins!

Well, those fins are what we call cephalopod fins. They are located near the back of the creature's body, and they help it move through the water in a special way.

You see, the cephalopod fin is not like a regular fish fin that moves up and down to help the fish swim. Instead, the cephalopod fin is more like a rubbery, wavy piece of skin that can move in all directions. It's almost like the creature is holding onto an invisible sheet and flapping it around to move itself forward!

The cephalopod fin also helps the creature with its balance. When it's swimming, the fin can push water to one side or the other, which helps the creature stay straight and not tip over.

So, there you have it! Cephalopod fins are special fins that help funny-looking sea creatures move through the water in a wavy, flapping motion.