Malacopterygii

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Malacopterygii \Mal`a*cop`te*ryg"i*i\, prop. n. pl. [NL., fr.
     Gr. malako`s soft + pte`ryx wing, fin, fr. ptero`n feather.]
     (Zool.)
     An order of fishes in which the fin rays, except the anterior
     ray of the pectoral and dorsal fins, are closely jointed, and
     not spiny. It includes the carp, pike, salmon, shad, etc.


     Called also {Malacopteri}.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Malacopterygii
       n : an extensive group of teleost fishes having fins supported
           by flexible cartilaginous rays [syn: {superorder
           Malacopterygii}]