Lobe-finned fish

Lobe-finned fish are a group of aquatic vertebrates characterized by their fleshy, lobed fins that are supported by bone and muscle, allowing for more precise movement than in typical fish with thin fins. They belong to the class Sarcopterygians and include species like the coelacanth and lungfish. These fish are significant because their limb-like fins are considered ancestors of the limbs of tetrapods, such as amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Lobe-finned fish often live in deep or isolated waters, and their unique fin structure provided the evolutionary foundation for the transition from aquatic to land vertebrates.