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butterfly fish

 - 4 dictionary results

but⋅ter⋅fly⋅fish

[buht-er-flahy-fish]
–noun, plural (especially collectively) -fish⋅es, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) -fish.
1. any tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae, having large, broad fins or brilliant coloration, or both.
2. flying gurnard.
3. a blenny, Blennius ocellaris, of Europe.

Origin:
1730–40; butterfly + fish

flying gurnard

–noun
any marine fish of the family Dactylopteridae, esp. Dactylopterus volitans, having greatly enlarged, colorful pectoral fins that enable it to glide short distances through the air.


Origin:
1880–85
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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butterfly fish  
n.  
  1. Any of various small, brightly colored tropical marine fishes of the family Chaetodontidae, having deep flattened bodies and a single dorsal fin.

  2. Any of various fishes with broad winglike fins.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

butterfly fish

any of the approximately 115 species of small, quick-moving marine fishes in the family Chaetodontidae (order Perciformes). Butterfly fishes are found among tropical reefs around the world but are concentrated in the Indo-Pacific oceanic region. Butterfly fishes are deep-bodied and thin from side to side, with a single dorsal fin and a small mouth with tiny, bristlelike teeth. The jaws are sometimes drawn out into a relatively long snout, as in the longnose butterfly fish (Chelmon rostratus) of the Indo-Pacific and the longsnout butterfly fish (Prognathodes aculeatus) of the Atlantic. Most species have strong, prominent spines on the front portions of their dorsal fins.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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