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Glite Dictionary
family Toxotidae

family Toxotidae

8.9
A group of tropical fish that shoot water to knock insects into the water
  • noun
  • /ˈfæmɪli ˈtɒksəˌtaɪdi/
  • Specialized
: familia Toxotidae
  • All members of the family Toxotidae share the remarkable trait of shooting jets of water at prey.

Examples

  • The family Toxotidae includes several species of archerfishes native to Southeast Asia and Australia.

  • Many aquarists admire the family Toxotidae for their unique hunting skills.

  • Research on the family Toxotidae has revealed unique adaptations for hunting insects above water.

  • The family Toxotidae includes fascinating fish species.

  • The family Toxotidae is known for its archerfish, which can accurately shoot water at insects over the water's surface.

  • Members of the family Toxotidae have evolved specialized mechanisms to target prey by spitting jets of water.

  • Studies show that fish from the family Toxotidae exhibit remarkable precision when capturing prey above water.

Synonyms

Toxotidae
vsfamily Toxotidae
  • Specialized
9.9

Small tropical fish that shoot water to knock insects off plants

is broader and focuses on knocking insects into the water rather than off plants

Surface Forms

family Toxotidae singular
families Toxotidae plural

Morphology

family + Toxotidae

The phrase combines the general noun 'family' (a taxonomic grouping) with the taxon name 'Toxotidae', so the meaning 'a family of archerfishes' is directly and compositionally derived from its parts. This follows standard scientific naming conventions found across languages, making it immediately understandable to a learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Family Toxotidae comes from a Greek word for 'archer' or 'bow' because these fish shoot jets of water like arrows to knock insects into the water, so the name points to their special hunting method.