hatchetfish

hatchetfish
/hach"it fish'/, n., pl. (esp. collectively) hatchetfish, (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) hatchetfishes.
1. any deep-sea fishes of the genera Argyropelicus, Sternoptyx, and related genera, of tropical and temperate waters, having a silvery, hatchet-shaped body.
2. Also called flying characin. any of several freshwater fishes of the genera Carnegiella, Gasteropelecus, and Thorachocharax, occurring from Panama to the Rio de la Plata and capable of flying short distances by rapid movements of their large pectoral fins.
[1930-35; HATCHET + FISH]

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 any member of two unrelated groups of hatchet-shaped fishes—deep-sea forms of the family Sternoptychidae or freshwater fishes of the family Gasteropelecidae.

      Deep-sea hatchetfishes are small, shining silver fishes. They are abundant in warm and temperate regions throughout the world, usually at depths of about 200–1,000 m (650–3,000 feet). Deep-bodied and flattened from side to side, they have slender tails and rows of light organs along the lower edge of each side of the body. The eyes are large and in the genus Argyropelecus are mounted on tubes pointed upward. Of about 15 species of sternoptychids, none exceeds a length of 10 cm (4 inches). The fishes are carnivorous.

      The freshwater, or flying, hatchetfishes comprise about nine species of South American fishes allied to characins in the order Cypriniformes. They are sometimes called flying characins and are included by some authorities in the characin family (Characidae). Flying hatchetfishes generally swim near the surface, where they can catch their insect prey. They have the ability to glide and hydroplane over the surface of the water for short distances by flapping their large pectoral fins. They vary from about 3 to 10 cm in length, depending on the species. Though fragile, they are sometimes kept in home aquariums. Among those known to aquarists are the marbled hatchetfish (Carnegiella strigata), and the silver hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus sternicula), which is olive above and silver below.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Hatchetfish — The name hatchetfish may refer to two unrelated groups of fishes:*Marine hatchetfishes, small deep sea bioluminescent fishes (Stomiiformes) of the family Sternoptychidae, subfamily Sternoptychinae.*Freshwater hatchetfishes, tropical characins of… …   Wikipedia

  • hatchetfish — noun (plural same or hatchetfishes) a deep bodied laterally compressed tropical freshwater fish of the New World, able to fly short distances in the air by beating its broad pectoral fins. [Family Gasteropelecidae: several species.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • hatchetfish — ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun : any of several small So. American characin fishes with enlarged pectoral fins and thin wedge shaped bodies that are often seen in tropical aquariums …   Useful english dictionary

  • Freshwater hatchetfish — This articles is about the freshwater hatchetfishes of the Amazon; for the marine fishes of the family Sternoptychidae, see the article on marine hatchetfish. Taxobox name = Freshwater hatchetfishes image caption = Blackwinged hatchetfish,… …   Wikipedia

  • Common hatchetfish — Gasteropelecus sternicla Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia …   Wikipedia

  • Half-naked hatchetfish — Taxobox name = Half naked hatchetfish image caption = image wdith = 240px regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Actinopterygii ordo = Stomiiformes familia = Sternoptychidae subfamilia = Sternoptychinae genus = Argyropelecus species = A.… …   Wikipedia

  • Marbled hatchetfish — Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum …   Wikipedia

  • diaphanous hatchetfish — skaidrusis jūrų kirvukas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Sternoptyx diaphana angl. diaphanous hatchetfish; disky hatchetfish; dollar hatchetfish; long spined hatchetfish; transparent hatchetfish rus.… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • disky hatchetfish — skaidrusis jūrų kirvukas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Sternoptyx diaphana angl. diaphanous hatchetfish; disky hatchetfish; dollar hatchetfish; long spined hatchetfish; transparent hatchetfish rus.… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • dollar hatchetfish — skaidrusis jūrų kirvukas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Sternoptyx diaphana angl. diaphanous hatchetfish; disky hatchetfish; dollar hatchetfish; long spined hatchetfish; transparent hatchetfish rus.… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

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