malacopterygianadj.n.
/ˌmaləkɒptəˈrɪdʒ(ɪ)ən/, U.S. /ˌmæləkɑptəˈrɪdʒ(i)ən/ Ichthyology. Now rare.
A. adj.
Originally: belonging to the group Malacopterygii, comprising bony fishes having fins supported by soft (i.e. segmented and often branched) rays. Later: designating or relating to fishes having such fins. Cf. acanthopterygian adj.Although the Malacopterygii are no longer considered a distinct group by most ichthyologists, the possession of soft-rayed fins can still be considered a useful characteristic in the description of fishes.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > subclass Actinopterygii > subdivision Teleostei > [adjective] > of or relating to Malacopterygii
malacopterygious1753
malacopterygian1835
1835 W. Kirby On Power of God in Creation of Animals II. xxi. 392 Malacopterygian or soft-rayed Fishes.
1876 P. J. Van Beneden Animal Parasites & Messmates 7 A sea anemone living on good terms with a Malacopterygian fish.
1965 B. E. Freeman tr. A. Vandel Biospeleol. xiv. 222 The hypogeous fish are represented essentially by two large groups of teleosts belonging to the malacopterygian type.
B. n.
A malacopterygian fish.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > subclass Actinopterygii > subdivision Teleostei > [noun] > member of Malacopterygii
malacopterygian1835
1835 W. Kirby On Power of God in Creation of Animals II. xxi. 392 Apode Malacopterygians.
1843 R. T. Lowe Fishes Madeira Introd. 13 The second series of the true fishes, called Malacopterygians or Soft-finned.
1861 T. Gill Catal. Fishes Eastern Coast N. Amer. 7 The group..corresponds nearly to the Acanthopterygians, and jugular Malacoptergyians of Cuvier.
1992 A. Bell tr. M. Toussaint-Samat Hist. Food x. 317 The herring is an abdominal malacopterygian (soft-finned fish) of the Clupeidae family.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1835