Glossary

76 terms beginning with T · showing 1–40

1. t-position

   Stance adopted by a spawning pair in certain fish species in which the two individuals come together in such a way as to resemble a capital letter 'T'. Typical in some callichthyid catfishes, for example.

   Used in 31 profiles

2. tactile

   Of or relating to touch.

3. tail fin

   See caudal fin.

4. tank

   See aquarium.

5. tankbuster

   Vernacular term applied to fish species which grow to large for the vast majority of home aquaria. Most commonly appear in the trade at a small, and therefore more saleable, size.

   Used in 3 profiles

6. tannin

   Any of various yellowish or brownish solid compounds found in many plants and used for various commercial purposes. Derived from gallic acid and also known as tannic acid. Often present in water bodies with large amounts of decaying vegetation or where the underlying or surrounding soil contains peat and responsible for the typically brownish (tea-coloured) water in such environments and aquaria containing certain types of wood.

   Used in 317 profiles

7. tautonym

   A binomial, scientific name in which the genus and species names are the same, e.g., Tinca tinca.

   Used in 1 profile

8. taxon

   A taxonomic group or category of any rank, such as a species, genus family, or class.

   Used in 42 profiles

9. taxonomic

   Of or relating to taxonomy.

   Used in 195 profiles

10. taxoomy

    Classification of organisms into groups in an ordered system based on natural relationships; the practice of arranging organisms in this fashion; carrying out classification.

    Used in 144 profiles

11. TDS

    Commonly-used abbreviation of total dissolved solids.

12. teleost

    Any member of the infraclass Teleostei, a large group of ray-finned fishes containing most of those with a bony skeleton.

    Used in 10 profiles

13. temperate

    Of, relating to, or denoting a region or climate characterised by mild temperatures located between the tropics and polar circles.

    Used in 6 profiles

14. temporal

    Of, relating to, or limited by time or the material world.

    Used in 10 profiles

15. temporary hardness

    Refers to the portion of hardness in a water body arising from the presence of dissolved calcium hydrogencarbonate and magnesium hydrogencarbonate. These become less soluble as temperature increases so are removed when water is boiled, for example. Temporary hardness is sometimes referred to as, but is not equivalent to, carbonate hardness.

    Used in 1 profile

16. tendon

    Band of tough, fibrous, inelastic connective tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. Primarily composed of collagen.

    Used in 3 profiles

17. tentacle

    Slender, elongate, flexible, unsegmented, usually tactile or prehensile, process extending from the body in certain organisms.

    Used in 8 profiles

18. terminal

    In ichthyology, situated at or forming the end of, e.g., a 'terminal' mouth is located at the anterior-most part of the head.

    Used in 25 profiles

19. terminal margin

    In the fins of fishes, the space between the subterminal margin and fin tip.

20. terminal mouth

    Mouth located at the anterior-most part of the head with upper and lower jaws of equal length.

    Used in 18 profiles

21. territorial

    Defending a territory.

    Used in 537 profiles

22. territory

    In biology, area occupied by an individual, pair or group of animals and often physically defended against others of the same sex or species. May be established on a permanent or temporary basis.

    Used in 318 profiles

23. tessellated

    Forming a mosaic-like pattern; checkered.

24. test kit

    Used to check the chemistry of an aquarium. There are specific tests for individual chemicals (eg ammonia, nitrIte).

25. tetrodotoxin

    Neurotoxin found in many species of puffer fish. Lethal to humans.

    Used in 7 profiles

26. thallus

    Type of plant body plant body lacking differentiatiation into root, stem, and leaf.

27. thermometer

    Used to monitor the temperature of an environment eg to ensure that an aquarium is at the desired temperature.

    Used in 9 profiles

28. thoracic

    Of or relating to the thorax.

    Used in 4 profiles

29. thorax

    Middle section of the body containing the main organs of circulation and respiration. Not easily defined in fishes.

    Used in 1 profile

30. throat teeth

    See pharyngeal teeth.

31. titration

    The measurement of a particular chemical in a solution.

32. tooth plate

    Structure bearing a tooth or teeth shaped like a flattened plate.

    Used in 14 profiles

33. toponym

    In taxonomy, a scientific name derived from a place, region, or other locality.

34. topotype

    A specimen collected from the type locality of a given species.

    Used in 1 profile

35. topotypical

    Occurring at, of, or relating to the type locality of a given species.

36. total dissolved solids

    Measure of the total concentration of both organic and inorganic, microscopic particles suspended in a given liquid. Usually applied only to freshwater systems and measured using a conductivity or total dissolved solids meter with results expressed in units of mg per unit volume of water (e.g., mg/L) or parts per million (ppm). Soft water with low pH generally has low levels of total dissolved solids whereas harder water with higher pH tends to contain correspondingly increased concentrations. Often abbreviated to TDS.

    Used in 2 profiles

37. total length

    Straight line measurement of specimen's length taken from the tip of the snout to the tip of the longer lobe of the caudal fin, if applicable, and not taking the curve of the body into account. If the caudal lobes are of equal length they may be compressed along the midline before the measurement is taken. Abbreviated to TL.

    Used in 6 profiles

38. toxic

    Poisonous.

    Used in 95 profiles

39. toxin

    Poisonous, normally protein-based substance of plant or animal origin.

    Used in 13 profiles

40. trace element

    Any chemical element required in small proportions by a given organism in order for certain physiological and biochemical processes to function properly. Often added to marine aquaria using proprietary liquid products and require regular replenishment as they are used up.