Plectognathi

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of fish characterized by immovable jaws formed by the fusion of certain skull bones, including pufferfish and boxfish
2. Fish possessing jaw structures that are rigidly joined together rather than freely articulated, such as triggerfishes and trunkfishes
3. A classification of fishes distinguished by the permanent fusion of jawbones that prevents normal jaw movement typical of other fish species

Etymology: "Plectognathi" is a scientific coinage built from two ancient Greek words. "Plektos" meant "plaited" or "twisted," from the verb "plekein," to weave, and "gnathos" meant "jaw." Naturalists combined them to name a group of fishes whose jaws look woven or interlocked. The name describes a real feature. In these fishes, the jaw bones are fused and the teeth are joined into strong plates that form a beak-like mouth. The group includes triggerfishes, filefishes, boxfishes, and pufferfishes, which share this jaw structure despite their very different body shapes.