Caudal peduncle: the region of the body between the
end of the anal fin and the base of the caudal fin
Ciliated: fringed with eyelash-like projections
Cirri: small, thin appendages, often subdivided into
branches.
Cirrus: singular of cirri (see above)
Claspers: the external reproductive organs of male
sharks, rays and chimaeras
Coalesced: grown together
Compressed: flattened laterally
Confluent: joined together
Conical: cone shaped, with a cylindrical base and a
pointed tip
Corselet: a scaly covering behind the pectorals of
some fishes
Countershading: body colouration which is dark above
and lighter below
Crenulate: having the edge slightly scalloped
Cutaneous: pertaining to the skin
Ctenoid: rough-edged
Cycloid: smooth-edged
D
Deciduous: temporary, falling off
Demersal: living on or near the sea bed
Dendritic: resembling a tree or shrub
Denature: the "unfolding" of a protein resulting in
a lessening of its biological properties. In the case of
some fish toxins, denaturing with hot water can lessen
painful symptoms.
Dentate: with tooth-like projections
Denticle, denticulate: a little tooth, having an
edge with small projecting teeth, the placoid scales of
cartilaginous fishes
Depressed: flattened from top to bottom
Dermal: pertaining to the skin
Dewlap: a fold of loose skin
Disc: the flattened head and body of various fishes
such as stingrays, which also commonly includes the
pectoral and ventral fins
Distal: remote from the point of attachment
Dorsal: pertaining to the back
Dorsum: the upper (dorsal) surface of the head or
body
Dorsal fin origin: the most anterior point of the
dorsal fin base
E
Elasmobranchs: cartilaginous fishes - sharks, rays
and allies
Electrocyte: a cell that generates electricity
Elongate: extended, drawn out
Emarginate: with the margin slightly hollowed
Endemic: restricted to a particular region, for
example endemic to Australia
Entire: with a smooth margin
Epibenthic: referring to organisms living on the
bottom surface
Epipelagic: referring to organisms living in the
region between the surface and 200 m depth
Erectile: capable of being raised or erected, often
referring to spines
Esca: the lure or "bait" on the end of the illicium
of some anglerfishes and relatives
Estuarine: living in estuaries
F
Falcate: scythe-shaped, long, narrow, and curved
Falciform: curved like a scythe
Filament: a slender or thread-like structure
Filiform: thread-like
Fimbriate: fringed at the margin
Finlet: a small fin, positioned behind the dorsal or
anal fins, that is supported by a ray or rays
Fluviatile: living in rivers
Free rear tips (of fins): the posterior tip of the
fin that is closest to the most posterior point of the
fin base
Frontal ridge: a ridge running along the top of the
head along the midline
Furcate: forked
Fusiform: tapering towards both ends
G
Gill arches: the bony arches to which the gills are
attached
Gill cover: or bony flap that covers the gills, the
operculum
Gill filaments: a series of projections along the
posterior edge of the gill arch, the site of gas
exchange
Gill membranes: membranes covering the gill
openings, attached to the branchiostegals
Gill opening: opening behind each operculum, leading
to the gills
Gill rakers: a series of appendages along the
anterior edges of the gill arches
Gills, Branchiae: organs for breathing the air
contained in water
Glossohyal: the tongue bone
Gonopodium: a modification of the anal fin of males
of certain live-bearing species (i.e. family
Poeciliidae), that is used to transfer reproductive
products to the female during mating.
Gravid: Sexually ripe
Gular region: pertaining to the region behind the
chin and between the sides of the lower jaw
H
Head length: the distance from the tip of the snout
(or upper lip) to the most posterior point of the
opercular margin
Homology: similarity of features based on common
evolutionary descent
Hyperostosis: a condition resulting in enlargement
of areas of bone.
Hyaline: translucent or transparent
Hypural joint: the joint between the caudal fin and
the last of the vertebrae
Hypural plate: the flattened bony plate at the
posterior end of the vertebral column, formed from parts
of the posterior vertebrae.
I
Ichthyoplankton: fish eggs and larvae
Illicium: a "fishing rod-like" appendage on the
head, usually a modified dorsal fin spine
Imbricate: overlapping, like the shingles on a roof
Incised: with a notched margin (often referring to
fin membranes)
Incisors: the front or cutting teeth
Inferior: pertaining to the lower side (usually of
the head)
Interdorsal: between the dorsal fins
Interorbital: the space between the orbits
intromittent organ: a structure to facilitate sperm
transfer in some internally fertilizating species
Iris lappet: a fleshy flap or lobe-like structure in
the eye, short and rounded, simple or multiply branched.
Isthmus: the fleshy projection of the body
separating the gill openings
J
Jugular: pertaining to the throat
Juxtaposed: placed near together
K
Kidneys: organs involved in excretion and regulation
of water balance
L
Lanceolate: spear-shaped, gradually tapering toward
the extremity
Labial: pertaining to the lips
Labial furrows: shallow grooves around the lips
Labial papillae: small fleshy projections around the
lips
Lateral: at or toward the side
Lateral line: a series of muciferous tubes forming a
raised line along the side of the body
Leptocephalic: tallness and narrowness of the skull
- in fish usually refers to "elongate highly compressed
transparent, ribbon-like larval stage" (source FishBase
glossary)
Liver: a digestive and storage organ
Longitudinal series (scales): the number of scale
rows above the lateral line from the first pored lateral
line scale to the caudal fin base.
Lunate: shaped like a crescent moon, with long upper
and lower lobes
M
Maxilla, Maxillary: the upper jaw, or pertaining
thereto
Maxillae, Maxillaries: the hindmost bones of the
upper jaw; preceded by the premaxillaries
Median, medially: pertaining to the middle
Median fins: fins located on the median line of the
fish; the dorsal, anal and caudal fins
Mediolateral: between the middle and the sides
Mesocoracoid: a bone of the pectoral arch or
shoulder girdle
Mesopelagic: refers to the region of the open ocean
between 200 m and 1000 m in depth
Mesopelagic fishes: fishes that live in the
mesopelagic zone
Midwater: the middle stratum of water, well below
the surface and well above the seabed. See also
mesopelagic.
Midwater fishes: fishes that live in the midwater
Molars: blunt and rounded grinding teeth
Morphology: form and structure of an organism
Muciferous: producing or containing mucous or slime
Myotomes: blocks of lateral trunk muscles
N
Nape: upper surface of the body behind the head and
before the dorsal fin
Nasal: pertaining to the nostrils
Nasoral: between the nostrils and mouth
Nictitating membrane: an inner eyelid
Notochord: a rudimentary of embryonic spinal column
Nuchal: pertaining to the nape
O
Obsolete: faintly marked, scarcely evident
Obtuse: blunt
Occipital: pertaining to the posterior part of the
skull
Ocellus: an eye-like spot
Ocular: pertaining to the eye
Odontode: a dermal tooth
Oesophagus: the gullet
Opercule,
operculum: the bony flap that covers the gills
Opercular: pertaining to the operculum
Opercular spine: spine projecting from the operculum
(view the fish figure)
Orbit: the eye socket
Origin: the most anterior point of a fin base
Osseus: bony
Ovate: egg-shaped
P
Palate: the roof of the mouth
Palatines: the bones on each side of the palate
Papilla (papillae): a small fleshy projection(s)
Papillose: covered with papillae
Pectoral: pertaining to the breast
Pectoral fins: the anterior or uppermost of the
paired fins, which correspond to the anterior limbs of
the higher vertebrates
Pectoral girdle: the bones to which the pectoral fin
is attached
Peduncle: usually referred to as the caudal
peduncle, the region of the body between the end of the
anal fin and the base of the caudal fin
Pelagic: living on or in the open seas
Pelvic girdle: the bones to which the ventral fins
are attached
Pelvic fins: paired fins behind or below the
pectoral fins
Pharyngeal bones: bones behind the gills in the
oesophagus or gullet
Pharyngeal teeth: teeth within the pharynx
Pharynx: the back part of the throat, into which the
gill slits open
Photophore: a circular light-producing organ on the
surface of a fish
Posterior: towards the hind end of the fish
Postorbital: behind the eye
Precaudal: anterior to the tail portion
Premaxillaries: two bones forming the front portion
of the upper jaw
Preocular spine: spine positioned above and in front
of the eye
Preopercle, preoperculum: the bone between the cheek
and the gill cover
Preopercular spine: spine projecting from the
preopercule (see preopercle) (view the fish figure)
Preorbital: the area under and in front of the eyes
Protractile: capable of extending forward
Protrusible: capable of extending forward, often
referring to the jaws of fishes
Proximal: nearest
Pseudobranchiae: small gills developed on the inner
side of the gill cover
Pseudoclasper: stiff ossified lobes or prongs in the
tip of the intromittent organ
Pterygiophore: an internal cartilage or bone that
supports a median fin ray or spine
Pyloric caecae: finger-like pouches connected with
the alimentary canal (the gut)
R
Ramus: one branch or one half of the jaw
Ray: a jointed rod which supports a fin
Retrose: turned backward
Rostrum: a projecting snout or beak
Rugose: rough
S
Scalation: pertains to the
pattern/arrangement/presence of scales
Scute: any external horny or bony plate
Serrate: notched like a saw
Setae: bristles or hairs
Soft dorsal: the posterior part of the dorsal fin
which is composed of jointed rays
Spatulate: shovel-like; having a broad, flat and
rounded shape
Spine: a sharp projecting point; an unjointed
support in the anterior portions of the dorsal and anal
fins
Spinous, spiniform, spinate: spine-like or composed
of spines
Spinous dorsal: the anterior part of the dorsal fin
supported by spines
Spiracles: respiratory openings behind the eyes in
sharks and rays
Standard length (SL): the length of a fish measured
from the tip of the snout to the posterior extremity of
the hypurals, the expanded bones at the end of the
backbone that support the caudal fin
Submarginal: almost at the edge
Suborbital: below the eye
Superior: above or on the upper surface
Supracleithrum: the bone forming a connection
between the back of the skull and the pectoral girdle
Supralateral: above the side
Supramaxillary: a supplemental bone lying along the
upper edge of the maxillary
Supraocular: positioned above the eye
Supraorbital: above the eye
Supraorbital tentacle: a flap or filament of skin
positioned above the eye
Suprascapular: a bone uniting the shoulder girdle
with the skull
Suture: the line of union of two bones or plates
Symphysis: point of junction of the two sides of the
jaw
Symmetrical: similarly arranged on both sides
Swimbladder: a sac filled with gas, lying beneath
the backbone
T
Teleost: a member of Teleostei, an infraclass
containing most of the
bony fishes
Terminal: at the end
Tessellated: marked with little checks or squares,
like tiles
Thoracic: pertaining to the chest
Thorax: the chest region, just behind the head
Total length: the length from the tip of the snout
to the tip of the tail
Transverse: crosswise
Trilobate: with three lobes
Tricuspid: with three cusps or points
Truncate: terminating abruptly, as if cut off square
Trunk: the region of a fish between the head and
tail, or the last gill slit and vent
Tubercle: a small, usually hard excrescence or lump
Tubiform, tubuliform: resembling a tube
Type locality: the location from which the
type specimen was collected.
U
Undulated: waved
Urogenital papilla: a papilla through which the
urinary waste and gametes leave the body
V
Vent: the external opening of the alimentary canal,
the anus
Ventral: pertaining to the abdominal or lower
surface
Ventral fins: paired fins behind or below the
pectoral fins
Vertical fins: fins on the median line of the body;
the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins
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