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

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

prickleback

vsStichaeidae

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

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.