moonfish

moonfish
/moohn"fish'/, n., pl. (esp. collectively) moonfish, (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) moonfishes.
1. Also called horsefish, horsehead. any of several silvery marine fishes of the genus Selene, having a very compressed body and inhabiting shallow coastal waters.
2. the opah.
3. any of various other rounded, silvery fishes.
[1640-50; MOON + FISH]

* * *

▪ Carangidae and Menidae
      any of several fishes of the order Perciformes, such as Vomer setapinnis of the family Carangidae, and Mene maculata, the sole member of the family Menidae.

      The carangid moonfish is thin, with an extremely deep body, a slender tail base, a forked tail, and slim, sickle-shaped pectoral fins. It is silver or golden in colour and grows to about 30 centimetres (12 inches). It inhabits the western Atlantic Ocean and, when young, is distinguished by long, threadlike rays extending from its dorsal and pelvic fins. Related species, also deep-bodied and called moonfish, are the Pacific Vomer declivifrons and the lookdown (Selene vomer) of the Atlantic and Pacific.

      The moonfish of the family Menidae is allied to the carangids. It is a thin Indo-Pacific fish with a very deep, sharp-edged chest, a long anal fin, a forked tail, and an extended, long ray in each pelvic fin. It is silvery with darker spots and grows to about 20 centimetres.

      Other fishes sometimes called moonfish include the opah, the platy, and the fingerfish (qq.v.).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Moonfish — may refer to: Several groups of fishes: Family Monodactylidae (properly moonyfishes). Genus Mene Genus Selene Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) Family Molidae (Ocean sunfishes) are in many languages known as Moonfishes And the Opah Many… …   Wikipedia

  • Moonfish — Moon fish , n. (Zo[ o]l.) (a) An American marine fish ({Vomer setipennis}); called also {bluntnosed shiner}, {horsefish}, and {sunfish}. (b) A broad, thin, silvery marine fish ({Selene vomer}); called also {lookdown}, and {silver moonfish}. (c)… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • moonfish — [mo͞on′fish΄] n. pl. moonfish or moonfishes (see FISH) 1. either of two species (genus Selene) of deep bodied, sharply compressed jack fishes of the coastal waters of North and South America ☆ 2. OPAH …   English World dictionary

  • moonfish — Spadefish Spade fish (sp[=a]d f[i^]sh ), n. (Zo[ o]l.) An American market fish ({Ch[ae]todipterus faber}) common on the southern coasts; called also {angel fish}, {moonfish}, and {porgy}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • moonfish — noun (plural moonfish or moonfishes) Date: 1646 any of various compressed often short deep bodied silvery or yellowish marine fishes: as a. opah b. platy …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • moonfish — /ˈmunfɪʃ/ (say moohnfish) noun (plural moonfish or moonfishes) 1. in Australia a. → opah. b. a silvery, tropical fish, Drepanichthys punctatus, of coastal waters. 2. elsewhere a. any of certain fishes having a deep, sharply compressed, silvery… …  

  • moonfish — atlantinė mėnulinė stauridė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Selene vomer angl. Atlantic lookdown; dollarfish; horsehead; lookdown; moonfish rus. селена ryšiai: platesnis terminas – mėnulinės stauridės …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • moonfish — paprastoji citarina statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Citharinus citharus angl. citharin; moonfish rus. обыкновенная цитарина ryšiai: platesnis terminas – citarinos …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • moonfish — raudonpelekė karalžuvė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Lampris guttatus angl. glancefish; Jerusalem haddock; kingfish; moonfish; opah; San Pedro fish; spotted opah rus. краснопёрый опах; обыкновенный… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • moonfish — dėmėtasis mėnulinis ešerys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Mene maculata angl. moonfish rus. пятнистая мена ryšiai: platesnis terminas – mėnuliniai ešeriai …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”