helleri

noun

freshwater fish of Central America having a long swordlike tail; popular aquarium fish

• Syn: ↑swordtail, ↑topminnow, ↑Xyphophorus helleri

• Hypernyms: ↑cyprinodont

• Member Holonyms: ↑Xyphophorus, ↑genus Xyphophorus

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\\ˈheləˌrī, -ˌrē\ noun (-es)

Etymology: New Latin (specific epithet of Xiphophorus helleri), after C. Heller, 20th century tropical fish collector

1. : swordtail

2. : any of numerous brightly colored topminnows developed in the aquarium by hybridization between two tropical American fishes (Xiphophorus helleri and Platypoecilus maculatus)

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/hel"euh ruy', -ree/, n.

1. a brightly colored, playful topminnow that is a hybrid of Xiphophorus helleri and X. maculatus, bred for aquariums.

2. swordtail.

[1905-10; < NL helleri (of Heller), a specific epithet, after Carl Heller, 20th cent. tropical fish collector]