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
Results for “ich”
Ichthyological terms, not general ones.
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
tautonym
A binomial, scientific name in which the genus and species names are the same, e.g., Tinca tinca.
Used in 1 profile
trinomen
Combination of generic name, specific, and subspecific names which together form the name of a subspecies.
tropics
Either of the two parallels of latitude located around 23.3° north and south of the equator, respectively, representing the points farthest north and south at which the Sun can shine directly overhead; the regions of the earth siutated between these latitudes.
Used in 1 profile
tufa
Soft, porous form of limestone composed of carbonate minerals and found in ambient temperature, lime-rich springs or lakes. Used as decorative material in aquaria.
type
Can be used to refer to any taxonomic group, the characteristics of which are used for defining related, higher or lower ranking groups. For example, the type of a nominal species is a specimen (type specimen), the type of a nominal genus is the nominal species (type species), and the type of a nominal family is the nominal genus (type genus).
Used in 783 profiles
type series
Series of specimens which either constitutes the name-bearing type of a nominal species or subspecies, or from which the name-bearing type has been or may be designated
Used in 120 profiles
typotype
Used when a description or illustration serves as a type to refer to the specimen(s) on which it was based.
undergravel filter
A filter which works by drawing water down through the substrate, where the cycle bacteria colonies are located, before returning it to the aquarium. Difficult to keep clean and now considered old fashioned.
unisexual
Fish species of which all individuals are the same gender.
várzea
Type of seasonally-inundated floodplain forest in the Amazon region. The term is normally used for those forests flooded by whitewater rivers but is sometimes used to refer to blackwater environments for which the more traditional term is igapó.
Used in 9 profiles
vertebral column
The backbone; the spine; in fishes, the vertebrae running from skull to caudal fin which protect the spinal cord and haemal artery as well as providing attachment for certain muscles used for swimming.
vicariant
Used in reference to any of several closely related species, variants, etc., each of which exists in a distinct geographical area but are assumed to have originated from a single population that became dispersed by geological events; of or relating to such an event.
water table
The point below which the ground is saturated with water.
Used in 1 profile
watercourse
A natural or artificial channel through which water flows; a stream or river.
Used in 1 profile
wet/dry filter
Type of filter normally placed under the aquarium, and often home-made. The basic premise is that water trickles vertically downards through separated compartments containing mechanical and biological filter media with spaces inbetween so that it is also exposed to the air briefly. It then collects in a base chamber or sump from where it is pumped back to the main aquarium. There are many commercial designs available, some of which are more effective than others. Not popular in marine reef aquaria due to the associated accumulation of nitrates as by-product.
worms (parasite)
Any species of nematode worm which spends part of its life cycle as an internal parasite within a fish's intestinal system.
yolk sac
A membranous sac containing yolk attached to the ventral surface of embryos and early larvae in some fishes. Retained for a period post-hatching in those species which form yolk sac larvae.
Used in 221 profiles
yolk sac viviparity
Form of livebearing in which the larvae are mostly nourished by a yolk sac which is fully-absorbed prior to birth.