midshipman fish

noun

midshipman fish

noun

Etymology From midshipman + fish, after their prey-attracting photophores, which are said to resemble the buttons of a naval uniform.

Any species of the genus Porichthys of batrachoid toadfishes, typically nocturnal, distinguished by photophores and four lateral lines, and noted for a hum produced by males during the breeding season.

Synonyms: midshipman

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.