Glossary

56 terms beginning with L · showing 1–40

1. labial

   Of or relating to the lips.

   Used in 4 profiles

2. labial barbel

   Barbel arising from a lip.

   Used in 6 profiles

3. labial groove

   May be continuous or discontinuous

   Used in 2 profiles

4. labyrinth fish

   Any member of the freshwater fish suborder Anabantoidei, characterised by possession of a labyrinth organ.

   Used in 18 profiles

5. labyrinth organ

   Highly folded, vascularised, suprabranchial accessory breathing organ formed via extension of the first epibranchial bone and used to respire atmospheric oxygen. Found in all members of the freshwater fish suborder Anabantoidei.

   Used in 96 profiles

6. lacrimal

   Bone forming the lower, anterior section of the eye socket and normally the largest of the suborbital bones. Also known as the lachrymal or preorbital.

   Used in 1 profile

7. lacrimal groove

   Small groove located on the lower margin of the snout, just above the upper lip, in some fishes. Formed by a fold of skin under the edge of the lacrimal bone.

8. lacustrine

   Of, related to, formed by, or inhabiting lakes or lake shores.

9. lamella

   Thin layer, plate, scale, or membrane of bone or other tissue.

10. lamellae

    Plural of lamella.

    Used in 1 profile

11. lamina

    A thin layer of bone, membrane, or other tissue.

    Used in 2 profiles

12. lamina circularis

    Bony process or plate at the base of the first ( unbranched ) and second ( first branched ) ray of the pectoral-fin in most male specimens of the family Cobitidae. It is also known as 'Canestrini's scale'.

    Used in 24 profiles

13. lanceolate

    Lance or spear-shaped; gradually tapering to a point. Used to describe the shape of a caudal fin with long central rays.

    Used in 19 profiles

14. landlocked

    Confined to inland bodies of water.

    Used in 18 profiles

15. lappet

    Small flap or fold of flesh or tissue.

    Used in 8 profiles

16. larva

    Immature free-living juvenile form of an organism that undergoes metamorphosis before assuming the adult form.

17. larvae

    Plural of larva.

    Used in 600 profiles

18. larval

    Of, relating to, or being a larva.

    Used in 47 profiles

19. larvophile

    A fish species exhibiting larvophily.

20. larvophilous

    Of or relating to larvophily.

    Used in 9 profiles

21. larvophily

    Reproductive strategy whereby the eggs are laid on a solid surface where they hatch before being brooded for a further period in the mouth of one or both parents. Seen in some Geophagus spp., for example.

22. lateral

    Relating to, situated on or in, or extending towards the side or sides. Opposite of medial.

    Used in 429 profiles

23. lateral line

    Sensory organ comprising a series of neuromasts running along the head and flanks and used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water. Also known as the lateralis system and visible as one or more rows of pored scales of varying length in many fishes.

    Used in 366 profiles

24. lateral line scale

    Any visibly-pored scale of the lateral line system, counts of which are often used as an identifying feature.

    Used in 164 profiles

25. lateral scale rows

    The number of more-or-less vertically-arranged scale rows present between the upper end of the gill opening and the caudal fin base. Sometimes referred to as vertical scale rows and used in meristic counts when the lateral line is absent, incompletely pored or otherwise difficult to distinguish.

    Used in 9 profiles

26. lateral series

    Line of scales extending along scales along the flank. Used in meristic counts when the lateral line is absent or incompletely pored.

    Used in 50 profiles

27. lateralis system

    See lateral line.

28. laterocaudal

    Located or orientated on the side towards the rear.

29. laterosensory pore

    Small, visible pores on the head and/or body. Part of the lateral line system.

    Used in 1 profile

30. lateroventral

    Located or orientated on the side towards the base or bottom.

    Used in 1 profile

31. lecithotrophy

    Literally, 'feeding on yolk'. A form of development in which an embryo receives no nutrition other than the yolk contained within its egg.

    Used in 1 profile

32. lectotype

    In zoological nomenclature, a syntype specimen selected as the name-bearing type of a nominal taxon in the absence of a designated holotype.

    Used in 6 profiles

33. lentic

    Of, relating to, or inhabiting still or very slow-moving bodies of freshwater. Opposite of lotic.

    Used in 1 profile

34. lepidophage

    A species practicing lepidophagy.

    Used in 9 profiles

35. lepidophagous

    Of or relating to lepidophagy.

36. lepidophagy

    Feeding on the scales of other fishes.

    Used in 8 profiles

37. lepidotrichia

    Bony structures that form segments of the soft fin rays in Osteichthyes.

    Used in 1 profile

38. leucism

    Condition in which all types of skin pigment are reduced due to defects in pigment cell differentiation with the normal result a partially (often referred to as 'pied' or 'piebald'), or more rarely, completely white animal. Differs from albinism, which is caused by a lack of melanin only, in several ways, with one of the most apparent being that albino animals typically have red eyes whereas leucism does not normally affect eye colour. Pronounced, and sometimes spelled, leukism.

39. leucistic

    Of, relating to, or displaying leucism.

    Used in 9 profiles

40. LFS

    Abbreviation of 'local fish shop' or 'local fish store' commonly used in the aquarium h0bby.