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Toxotes

Toxotes

1 9.9
A small tropical fish that shoots water to knock insects into the water
  • noun
  • Specialized
: Toxotes
  • Biologists often study Toxotes to understand how archerfishes shoot water at insects above the surface.

Examples

  • The genus Toxotes includes several species of fish famous for their spit-hunting abilities.

  • The aquarium displayed a remarkable specimen of Toxotes with its distinctive flat body and sharp snout.

  • The Toxotes is famous for its unique hunting method.

  • Look at that Toxotes aiming at the insect!

  • The Toxotes uses its ability to shoot jets of water to knock insects into the water for easy capture.

  • In their natural habitat, Toxotes can be seen skillfully targeting prey with precise water jets.

  • Aquarists admire Toxotes for their fascinating behavior of shooting water to catch flying insects.

Synonyms

archerfish
vsToxotes
  • Australian
1 9.5

A small freshwater fish that shoots water to knock insects into the water

is the scientific genus name for that group of tropical shooting fish

Compounds

Toxotes jaculatrix
  • Specialized
9.9

A small freshwater fish that knocks insects into the water by squirting water from its mouth

Surface Forms

Toxotes singular
Toxotes plural

Etymology

Toxotes comes from a Greek word meaning 'archer' and from toxon 'bow'. Because these fish shoot jets of water like an archer shoots arrows, scientists named them Toxotes.