Re: Definition of 'fish', & GSP is displeased ;-)

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

On Mon, May 3rd, 2010 at 5:06 PM, Tim Williams <tijawi@yahoo.com> wrote:

> True; but 'starfish' is an exception that proves the rule.  Overall,
> the vast majority of names ending in 'fish' are, well, fishes (=
> non-tetrapod vertebrates).

There's also 'jellyfish'.

> We can allow for some poetic license when dealing with common names. 
> The sand-tiger and smooth-hound are sharks, and the sea robin and sea
> raven are actinopterygian fishes, for example.  These names don't
> detract from what we commonly understand 'tiger' or 'hound' or
> 'robin' or 'raven' to mean.

To make matters more confusing, sand-tigers are known as 'grey nurses' here in 
Australia. 
Although they tend to be quite placid animals (by shark standards), I certainly 
wouldn't visit one 
for medical reasons. :-)

-- 
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Dann Pigdon
GIS Specialist                         Australian Dinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia               http://home.alphalink.com.au/~dannj
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