Results for “ich”

cladogram

Branching, tree-like diagram used in cladistics to represent the evolutionary tree of life. Used to depict phylogenetic relationships and show points at which species diverged from their common ancestral forms.

cloaca

Common cavity into which the intestinal and urogenital tracts open in many fishes.

Used in 13 profiles

coast

Point or zone at which the land meets the sea or other large water body.

Used in 75 profiles

columnaris

Disease symptom resulting from infection by the bacterium Flavobacterium columnare which is ubiquitous in freshwater environments. Often mistaken for a fungal infection due to its appearance and is referred to variously as mouth rot, mouth fungus, fin rot, gill fungus, body fungus, saddleback columnaris, and cotton wool disease. Highly contagious and usually fatal unless treated with antibiotics or other.

Used in 1 profile

commensal

Of, relating to, characterised by or participating in a symbiotic relationship in which one species gains some benefit while the other is unaffected.

commensalism

A symbiotic association between two organisms in which one gains some benefit while the other is unaffected.

concentric

Of or denoting circles, arcs, or other shapes which share the same centre, the larger often completely surrounding the smaller.

Used in 10 profiles

confluence

A joining or meeting, especially of rivers and streams; the point at which such rivers and streams meet; the combined watercourse formed by the joining.

Used in 43 profiles

convergent evolution

Independant acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated, monophyletic, lineages as a result of inhabiting similar environments or ecological niches.

Used in 3 profiles

copepod

Any member of the subclass Copepoda, a group of small marine and freshwater crustaceans of which the planktonic species are important to global ecology, forming the main constituent of oceanic zooplankton. Some species are parasites of fishes.

Used in 6 profiles

coracoid

Paired endochondral bone located at the base of the pectoral fin upon which rest the pterygials or actinosts. Attaches to the cleithrum anteriorly.

Used in 18 profiles

coral

Any marine animal of the class Anthozoa, these being characterised by possessing a horny or calcareous skeleton, aggregations of which form coral reefs and islands.

Used in 13 profiles

countershading

Form of camouflage in which an organism possesses darker pigmentation on the parts of the body exposed to light and paler on those normally shaded. Many fishes are coloured darker dorsally and lighter ventrally for this purpose.

Used in 4 profiles

courtship

Any behavioural interaction between male and female individuals which leads to or initiates spawning.

Used in 264 profiles

crustacean

Any member of the predominantly aquatic arthropod grouping Crustacea which currently contains almost 70,000 recognised species, including all crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. It's difficult to define their characteristics since the group is of arguable hierarchical status, generally regarded to represent either a Phylum or Subphylum.

Used in 421 profiles

cuckoldry

Behavioural strategy seen in certain nest-building fishes in which one or more males that are not an accepted part of a spawning event fertilise some eggs. Such individuals are commonly referred to as sneaker, sneaky or satellite males.

cyst

In biology, a small sac forming a capsule within which certain organisms remain during the larval or dormant stage.

Used in 2 profiles

decapod

Any member of the crustacean order Decapoda, comprising species possessing 5 pairs of jointed, thorassic limbs such as crabs, crayfish, lobsters and shrimp. Also used historically in reference to molluscs of the Cephalopod superorder Decapodiformes, members of which have 8 short limbs plus 2 longer tentacles and include cuttlefish and squid.

decomposer

Organism feeding on dead or decaying material aiding the natural process of decomposition by breaking down organic substances which subsequently become nutrients.

decomposition

Natural, ecological process in which organic material is broken down into simpler substances which may then be used by other organisms. Typically biotic and carried out by microbes, worms, and other organisms but can also be abiotic and occur via chemical or physical processes such as oxidation or hydrolysis.

Used in 204 profiles