swordtail

swordtail
/sawrd"tayl', sohrd"-/, n.
any of several small, brightly colored, viviparous, freshwater fishes of the genus Xiphophorus, native to Central America, having the lower part of the caudal fin elongated into a swordlike structure: often kept in aquariums.
Also called helleri.
[1925-30; SWORD + TAIL1]

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▪ fish
 (Xiphophorus helleri), popular tropical fish of the live-bearer (q.v.) family Poeciliidae (order Atheriniformes). The swordtail is an elongated fish, growing to about 13 centimetres (5 inches) long and characterized, in the male, by a long, swordlike extension of the lower tail fin lobe. The fish is closely related to the platy (q.v.) and, like its relative, has been used extensively in genetic and medical research. Originally green with a red stripe on each side, the swordtail has been bred in many colour varieties.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Swordtail — Sword tail , n. (Zo[ o]l.) (a) The limulus. (b) Any hemipterous insect of the genus {Uroxiphus}, found upon forest trees. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • swordtail — см. Приложение 1 (Xiphophorus). (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • swordtail — swordtail. См. меченосцы. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • swordtail — [sôrd′tāl΄] n. any of a genus (Xiphophorus) of fishes that are livebearers: the male has the lower caudal fin rays drawn out in a swordlike process …   English World dictionary

  • swordtail — noun A species of freshwater fish, Xiphophorus hellerii Syn: green swordtail …   Wiktionary

  • swordtail — /ˈsɔdteɪl/ (say sawdtayl) noun (plural swordtail or swordtails) any of several small, viviparous, Mexican cyprinodont fishes of the genus Xiphophorus, commonly cultivated in home aquariums. Usage: For variation in the plural inflection, see note… …  

  • Swordtail Breeding — The Swordtail, is a common live bearing aquarium fish, that will breed readily in captivity. In the wild, the only form of this fish is the Green Swordtail, but it has been captively bred to form many different varieties such as the redvelvet,… …   Wikipedia

  • swordtail — noun Date: 1858 a small brightly marked Central American live bearer (Xiphophorus helleri of the family Poeciliidae) often kept in tropical aquariums and bred in many colors …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • swordtail — noun a Central American freshwater fish popular in aquaria, the male of which has a tail with an elongated and brightly marked lower edge. [Xiphophorus helleri.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • swordtail — sword•tail [[t]ˈsɔrdˌteɪl, ˈsoʊrd [/t]] n. ich any freshwater fish of the Central American genus Xiphophorus: the male has a swordlike extension of the lower caudal fin • Etymology: 1925–30 …   From formal English to slang

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