labyrinth fish

English

Sandelia capensis (Cape kurper)

Etymology

From labyrinth + fish; see also labyrinth organ.

Noun

labyrinth fish (plural labyrinth fish or labyrinth fishes)

1. (zoology) Any fish that has a labyrinth organ, a fish of the suborder Anabantoidei, an anabantoid.
   • 1995, Brian Ward, The Aquarium Fish Survival Manual, page 114:

     Labyrinth fish have another peculiarity, in that all the internal organs are compressed into the front part of the body, so that the rear of the body contains only the spine and muscles. […] Labyrinth fish are nearly all predatory, and many are unsuitable for the community tank.

   • 2001, Marshall Cavendish Corporation, Aquatic Life of the World, volume 5, page 288:

     Labyrinth fish belong to different but related families of fish; they live in southwestern Africa and throughout much of southern and eastern Asia.

   • 2009, S. Blair Hedges, Sudhir Kumar, editors, The Timetree of Life, page 344:

     Labyrinth fishes (Anabantoidei) are grouped into three families (Osphronemidae, Helostomatidae, and Anabantidae) within the teleost Order Perciformes. […] Labyrinth fishes form a natural (monophyletic) group of teleost fishes, the Suborder Anabantoidei.

   • 2010, Beth Vanhorn, Robert W. Clark, Veterinary Assisting Fundamentals & Applications, page 2017:

     Labyrinth fish are nest builders, and the males maintain the nest and incubate the eggs.

Synonyms

• (fish of suborder Anabantoidei): anabantoid

Translations

fish with a labyrinth organ