sand lance

sand lance
any slender marine fish of the family Ammodytidae that burrows into the sand.
Also, sand launce.
[1770-80]

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fish
also called  sand eel 

      any of about 18 species of marine fishes of the family Ammodytidae (order Perciformes). Sand lances are slim, elongated, usually silver fishes especially abundant in northern seas. Although eel-like in shape and movement, they are not true eels. The species range from about 20 to 46 centimetres (8 to 18 inches) in length and are characterized by a forked tail, a long head, a long dorsal fin, and peculiar skin folds on the lower sides. They live in schools, often under the sand below the surf. They are a very important food for predacious fishes and sea birds.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sand lance — sand′ lance n. ich any slender marine fish of the family Ammodytidae that burrows into the sand • Etymology: 1770–80; appar. lance, from its shape …   From formal English to slang

  • sand lance — Lance fish Lance fish . (Zo[ o]l.) A slender marine fish of the genus {Ammodytes}, especially {Ammodytes tobianus} of the English coast; called also {sand lance}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sand lance — n. any of a family (Ammodytidae) of small, eel like, marine percoid fishes often found burrowing in coastal sands …   English World dictionary

  • Sand lance — Taxobox name = Sand lances image width = 240px image caption = Northern sand lance, Ammodytes dubius regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Actinopterygii ordo = Perciformes familia = Ammodytidae subdivision ranks = Genera subdivision =… …   Wikipedia

  • sand lance — noun very small silvery eellike schooling fishes that burrow into sandy beaches • Syn: ↑sand launce, ↑sand eel, ↑launce • Hypernyms: ↑spiny finned fish, ↑acanthopterygian • Member Holonyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • sand lance — noun Date: 1776 any of several small elongate marine bony fishes (genus Ammodytes of the family Ammodytidae) that associate in large schools and remain buried in sandy beaches at ebb tide called also sand eel, sand launce …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • USS Sand Lance (SS-381) — USS Sand Lance (SS 381), a Balao class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sand lance, a member of the ammodytidae family. Her keel was laid down on 12 March 1943 by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. She was… …   Wikipedia

  • USS Sand Lance (SSN-660) — USS Sand Lance (SSN 660), a Sturgeon class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sand lance, a member of the ammodytidae family. The contract to build her was awarded to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery …   Wikipedia

  • USS Sand Lance (SSN-660) — USS «Sand Lance» (SSN 660) …   Википедия

  • USS Sand Lance — Two submarines of the United States Navy have been named USS Sand Lance for the sand lance, a fish of the ammodytidae family.*The first USS Sand Lance (SS 381), a Balao class submarine, served during World War II, then was loaned to Brazil,… …   Wikipedia

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