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Acanthopterygii

Acanthopterygii

9.9
A group of fish with sharp bony spines in their fins, like many common sea and freshwater fish
  • noun
  • /ˌækənˈθɒpəˌtɛrɪdʒiːaɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Acanthopterygii
  • The Acanthopterygii, which includes species like the tuna and swordfish, are known for their sharp fin spines.

Examples

  • The traditional taxonomic categories of Acanthopterygii and Percomorpha may need to be changed as a result of current phylogeny.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Many popular aquarium fish belong to the Acanthopterygii group, showcasing a variety of shapes and colors.

  • Fishermen often target Acanthopterygii due to their speed and fighting ability when caught.

Synonyms

superorder Acanthopterygii
vsAcanthopterygii
  • Specialized
9.9

A large group of fish with bones and sharp spines in their fins, like perch and tuna

is identical in scope but describes fin structures as sharp bony spines

Compounds

9.9

A large group of fish with bones and sharp spines in their fins, like perch and tuna

Surface Forms

Morphology

Acanthopterygii = acanth + pteryg + ii

A technical taxonomic formation from Greek combining forms that are not productive or recognizable English morphemes for a B1 learner, so the meaning cannot be reliably derived from the parts.

Etymology

Acanthopterygii comes from Greek parts acantho- meaning 'spine' or 'thorn' and -pterygii meaning 'fin' or 'wing', the same 'ptero' you find in pterodactyl. So, Acanthopterygii literally means 'spiny-finned', which matches this large group of fish that have sharp, bony fin spines.