actinopterygian

[ ak-tuh-nop-tuh-rij-ee-uhn ]

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the Actinopterygii, a group of bony fishes.

noun

1. an actinopterygian fish.

actinopterygian

/ ăk′tə-nŏp′tə-rĭj′ē-ən /

1. See ray-finned fish

Word History and Origins

Origin of actinopterygian¹

< New Latin Actinopterygi ( i ) (plural) ( actino- actino- + Greek pterýgi ( on ) fin, equivalent to pteryg- (stem of ptéryx wing) + -ion diminutive suffix) + -an

Example Sentences

The summary continues: "Remarkably, fossil fishes recovered from the same deposits as the new pycnodontiform show injuries to fins and fin bases. As a marine piranha-like fish contemporary with dinosaurs, it is the oldest known flesh-eating actinopterygian, revealing remarkable convergent evolution with modern piranhas."

From Fox News

Major adaptive levels in the evolution of the actinopterygian feeding mechanism.

From Project Gutenberg

Cheirolepis, found in the Old Red of Scotland and Canada, is the only Devonian representative of the actinopterygian fishes.

From Project Gutenberg