parhypural
The most posterior hemal arch with an open canal through which the dorsal aorta passes.
Results for “ich”
Ichthyological terms, not general ones.
parthenogenesis
Method of asexual reproduction by which an unfertilized egg develops into a new individual exhibited by certain fishes.
Used in 1 profile
peat swamp forest
Type of tropical moist forest lying over a thick bed of acidic peat, over 60% of which occur in Indonesia and Malaysia. Typically contain water with very low pH (<4.0) that is stained brown due to the release of various organic compounds from the decaying peat and thus often referred to as blackwater swamps. Usually contain some permanent water but also flood seasonally. Highly biodiverse when in pristine condition, with many species found nowhere else on earth, though increasingly subjected to intensive drainage, burning and subsequent conversion to agriculture in recent decades.
Used in 89 profiles
pecking order
Type of social hierarchy in which individuals within a given group or population are ranked by behavioural and/or physical dominance. Sometimes referred to as a dominance hierarchy.
Used in 106 profiles
pelvic disc
Disc-shaped modification of the pelvic fins, which are often fused, used to adhere to surfaces via suction. Present in certain fishes, especially members of the family Gobiidae. Also known as sucking disc.
Used in 31 profiles
peritoneum
Membranous sac lining the abdominal cavity, the pigmentation of which is sometimes used in identification of fish larvae.
pheromone
Chemical secreted by an organism affecting the behaviour or physiology of other individuals of the same species which may function as an alarm or sexual stimulant, for example.
Used in 2 profiles
photosynthesis
Chemical process occurring in the cells of plants, algae and certain other organisms by which carbon dioxide is converted into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight.
polyandry
Reproductive behaviour in which a female spawns with more than one male during the breeding season.
polygamy
Reproductive behaviour in which an individual spawns with more than a single partner during the breeding season.
polygyny
Reproductive behaviour in which a male spawns with more than one female during the breeding season.
Used in 1 profile
polytomy
A section of a phylogeny in which the evolutionary relationships can not be fully resolved to dichotomies.
Used in 6 profiles
pore
Small opening in a surface, especially the skin, through which gases, liquids or microscopic particles are able to pass, or through which a sensory organ obtains information.
Used in 99 profiles
processus dentiformis
Tooth-like projection in the middle of the upper jaw in certain loach genera which may fit into a notch in the lower jaw. Also referred to as dentiform process.
Used in 16 profiles
protandry
Form of sequential hermaphroditism in which male offspring become female at some point during their life cycle.
protogyny
Form of sequential hermaphroditism in which female offspring become male at some point during their life cycle.
pterygiophore
Bony or cartilaginous structures via which the rays of the median fins articulate and connect to the body.
Used in 31 profiles
quarantine tank
An aquarium set up and maintained for purposes of quarantine. May also be used to isolate diseased, parasite-infested or otherwise unwell individuals, in which case it may be referred to as a hospital tank.
Used in 1 profile
race
Genealogical line or lineage. Sometimes used as an infrasubspecific category, i.e., below the subspecies level, to refer to populations or individuals which are not given taxonomic names.
Used in 1 profile
refractometer
Instrument used to measure salinity or specific gravity via the refractive index (basically, the degree that light bends when shined through something) of a liquid. Most models are designed to measure sodium chloride or brine solutions and not seawater which contains a more complex range of salts and minerals, but usually more accurate than a hydrometer nevertheless.