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Stichaeidae

Stichaeidae

9.9
A family of slender sea fish called pricklebacks with long eel-like bodies that live in cold northern waters
  • noun
  • /ˌstɪkəˈeɪdəɪ/
  • Specialized
: Stichaeidae
  • The Stichaeidae are distinguished by their long, eel-like bodies and small fins.

Examples

  • Several species within the Stichaeidae family are well adapted to rocky coastal environments.

  • The Stichaeidae family includes various species of pricklebacks.

  • Researchers collected specimens from the Stichaeidae family to study their ecological roles.

  • Many Stichaeidae are found in the Arctic Ocean.

  • Researchers collected specimens from the Stichaeidae family to study their ecological roles.

  • Several species within the Stichaeidae family are well adapted to rocky coastal environments.

  • The Stichaeidae are distinguished by their long, eel-like bodies and small fins.

Synonyms

prickleback
vsStichaeidae
  • US
1 9.9

A small, long fish with spines on its back that lives in northern coastal or fresh waters

refers to the whole family rather than an individual small fish
family Stichaeidae
vsStichaeidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of long thin sea fish called pricklebacks that live mainly in the North Pacific Ocean

is found across cold northern hemisphere waters rather than mainly one ocean

Compounds

family Stichaeidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of long thin sea fish called pricklebacks that live mainly in the North Pacific Ocean

Surface Forms

Stichaeidae singular
Stichaeidae plural

Morphology

Stichaeidae = Stichaeus (opaque) = Stichae + idae

Formed by adding the specialized taxonomic family suffix '-idae' to a genus name, a formation unfamiliar to general learners and not predictive of everyday meaning.

Etymology

Stichaeidae comes from the Greek root stich-, from stichos, meaning 'row' or 'line'. A helpful way to remember it is that these pricklebacks have long, thin, almost line-like bodies, so the name points to their stretched, eel-like shape.