Glossary

10 terms beginning with K

1. kanamycin

   Broad-spectrum antibiotic isolated from the soil bacterium Streptomyces kanamyceticus.

2. karyology

   Branch of cytology concerned with cell nuclei, particularly the nature and structure of chromosomes.

3. keel

   Ridgelike structure located on the ventral surface, caudal peduncle or caudal fin base in certain fishes.

   Used in 35 profiles

4. kelvin

   SI base unit of thermodynamic temperature, equal in magnitude to the degree Celsius.

   Used in 5 profiles

5. keratin

   Tough, fibrous, insoluble, structural protein forming certain horny structures such as breeding tubercules in some fishes. The principle constituent of hair, nails, horns, and hooves in higher animals.

6. Ketapang leaf

   See Indian almond leaf.

7. KH

   Commonest unit of measurement for carbonate hardness used in aquaria, and an abbreviation of the German term 'Karbonathärte'. 1 degree KH corresponds to a litre of water containing approximately 17.848 milligrams of calcium carbonate in solution.

   Used in 4 profiles

8. kingdom

   Taxonomic rank in the hierarchical classification of living organisms and natural objects. Either the highest rank or rank below domain, depending on the system being followed.

   Used in 3 profiles

9. kleptoparasitism

   Feeding behaviour in which one organism robs food from another that has previously caught, collected or otherwise prepared it.

10. krill

    Vernacular term for any small, shrimp-like, marine crustacean of the order Euphausiacea. Represent an important, sometimes principal, proportion of the diet of many marine fishes and mammals. Available as food for ornamental fishes, usually in frozen form.

    Used in 14 profiles