The caudal fin is elongated with a long upper lobe (i.e. strongly heterocercal). The tail has a larger upper lobe than the lower lobe (heterocercal). Basal species had a rather asymmetric or "heterocercal" tail fin. The caudal fin has asymmetrical lobes, forming a heterocercal tail. The bowfin has a rounded heterocercal tail that resembles a homocercal tail. The tail fin is heterocercal, with a well developed caudal lobe. The caudal fin is heterocercal, but approaches a functional homocercal condition. Their tails are heterocercal, and the dorsal fins are close to the tail. In gars, the tail is still heterocercal but less so than in the chondrosteans.