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Why are fish fish-shaped? - Lauren Sallan

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TEDEd Animation

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In tropical seas, flying fish leap out of the water, gliding for up to 200 meters, before dipping back into the sea. In the Indo-Pacific, a hunting sailfish swims up to 110 kilometers per hour. These feats are made possible by a fish’s form—which in most species is a smooth, long body, fins, and a tail. Lauren Sallan explains why these features are so common, and what it reveals about fish.

What does a sailfish use its spiny dorsal fin for?

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Lauren Sallan
  • Director Igor Đurić, Mladen Đukić
  • Script Editor Emma Bryce
  • Producer Mladen Đukić
  • Art Director Igor Đurić
  • Storyboard Artist Igor Đurić
  • Animator Mladen Đukić, Igor Đurić, Nemanja Vučenović, Igor Štikić, Sandra Marić, Aleksandar Bundalo
  • Editor Nemanja Vučenović
  • Sound Designer Nemanja Vučenović
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott, Elizabeth Cox
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Julianna Zarzycki
  • Fact-Checker Francisco Diez

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