- heterocercal
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Of a fishs tail, such that the vertebral column bends and extends upwards into the upper lobe of the tail, making it larger than the lower lobe; as in sharks, rays, and skates.See Also: heterocerc
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heterocercal
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Heterocercal — Het er*o*cer cal, a. [Hetero + Gr. ? tail.] (Anat.) Having the vertebral column evidently continued into the upper lobe of the tail, which is usually longer than the lower one, as in sharks. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
heterocercal — [het΄ər ō΄sʉr′kəl] adj. [< HETERO + Gr kerkos, a tail + AL] designating, of, or having a tail fin in which the upper lobe is larger than the lower and contains the upturned end of the spinal column, as in certain fishes, esp. sharks … English World dictionary
heterocercal — adjective Date: 1838 1. of a fish tail fin having the upper lobe larger than the lower with the vertebral column extending into the upper lobe 2. having or relating to a heterocercal tail fin … New Collegiate Dictionary
heterocercal — the type of tail fin in which the vertebral column turns upwards into the upper lobe which is longer than the lower. Asymmetrical externally as well as internally, e.g. Elasmobranchii, Acipenseridae, Polyodontidae and in many larval Teleostomi.… … Dictionary of ichthyology
heterocercal — heterocercality /het euhr oh seuhr kal i tee/, n. /het euhr euh serr keuhl/, adj. Ichthyol. having an unequally divided tail, characteristic of sharks, rays, and skates. Cf. diphycercal, homocercal. [1830 40; HETERO + Gk kérk(os) a tail + AL1] *… … Universalium
heterocercal — het·ero·cer·cal … English syllables
heterocercal — het•er•o•cer•cal [[t]ˌhɛt ər əˈsɜr kəl[/t]] adj. ich designating or having a tail fin in which the upper lobe is larger than the lower lobe, as in sharks • Etymology: 1830–40; hetero + Gk kérk(os) tail + al I … From formal English to slang
heterocercal — /hɛtəroʊˈsɜkəl/ (say hetuhroh serkuhl) adjective 1. having an asymmetrical tail or caudal fin, the backbone running into a much larger upper lobe, as in sharks. 2. denoting such a tail or caudal fin. Compare homocercal. {hetero + Greek kerkos… …
heterocercal — adjective possessing a tail with the upper lobe larger than the lower and with the vertebral column prolonged into the upper lobe • Ant: ↑homocercal • Topics: ↑ichthyology … Useful english dictionary
heterocercal fin — noun a tail fin with unequal lobes in which the vertebral column turns upward into the larger lobe as in sharks • Ant: ↑homocercal fin • Hypernyms: ↑tail fin, ↑caudal fin … Useful english dictionary
