ophidioidadj.n.
/ɒˈfɪdɪɔɪd/, /ə(ʊ)ˈfɪdɪɔɪd/, U.S. /oʊˈfɪdiˌɔɪd/ Zoology.
A. adj.
Of or relating to eel-like fishes of the suborder Ophidioidei (order Ophidiiformes), comprising the cusk-eels and related forms.
ΚΠ
1859 C. Girard Gen. Rep. Zool. IV: Fishes (Rep. Explor. & Surv. Route Railroad to Pacific X, U.S. War Dept.) 2 The Ophidioid family is represented by two known genera, Ophidion and Ammodytes, whilst the true eels have not yet been heard of.
1905 Science 15 Sept. 342/2 These are the only data known to me respecting the habits of any member of the ophidioid family.
1979 Science 16 Mar. 1079/1 We observed an apparently undescribed species of ophidioid fish swimming in the rising plumes of warm water.
1999 Jrnl. Morphol. 241 265 The superficial neuromasts are..organized similarly to those of the blind ophidioid cave fish Typhliasina pearsei.
B. n.
A fish of the suborder Ophidioidei.
ΚΠ
1861 T. Gill Catal. Fishes Eastern Coast N. Amer. 5 A group which he [sc. C. L. Bonaparte] has called the order ‘Gadi’, and in which he has also included the Leptocephaloids, Ammodytoids, Ophidioids, Macruroids, Gadoids and Bibrionoids.
1890 Cent. Dict. Ophidioid, a fish of the family Ophidiidæ.
1979 Science 16 Mar. 1079/2 Three benthic fish recovered..from more than 80 dead benthic fish observed floating on the surface did not include an ophidioid.
1997 G. S. Helfman et al. Diversity of Fishes xx. 360 (caption) Fingerlike extensions projecting forward from the ovary are trophotaenia... Trophotaenia have evolved convergently in goodeids, ophidioids, and embiotocid surfperches.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1859