perciformadj.n.
/ˈpəːsᵻfɔːm/, /ˈpəːkᵻfɔːm/, U.S. /ˈpərsəˌfɔrm/, /ˈpərkəˌfɔrm/ Zoology.
A. adj.
Of the form of or resembling a perch; spec. belonging to or characteristic of the large teleost division (later order) Perciformes, characterized in general by fins (including two dorsal fins) that contain spines.The order Perciformes is the largest order of vertebrates, and perciform fishes are the dominant vertebrates of many marine and freshwater environments.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > [adjective]
perciform1872
percomorph1884
the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Percidae (perches) > [adjective] > resembling perch
percoid1840
perciform1872
1872 Chambers's Encycl. VII. 463/2 Pharyngognathi, a group of perciform fishes, in the system of Müller and Owen.
1908 Amer. Naturalist 42 570 In 1872 Cope published Trichophanes, a new genus of Perciform fishes.
1961 Copeia 265/2 The most primitive type of caudal skeleton yet found in the perciform fishes would seem to be that occurring in Kuhlia sandvicensis.
1999 Jrnl. Animal Ecol. 68 893 Analysis of the data for perciform fish provided no support for metabolic cold adaptation.
B. n.
A perciform fish.
ΚΠ
1890 Cent. Dict. Perciform n., a percoid fish; a member of the Perciformes.
1948 Q. Rev. Biol. 23 12 (table) Zone of mixed dominance. Temperate North America... Non-ostariophysans (esp. perciforms).
1974 Encycl. Brit. Macropædia XIV. 46/2 Most perciforms are marine fishes, generally found along coastal areas of tropical and temperate regions of the world.
2002 Jrnl. Exper. Biol. 205 2755 Olfactory sensitivity to changes in environmental Ca2+ has been demonstrated in..a salmonid..and a marine/estuarine perciform.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1872