軟なん条じょう

noun

soft ray (of a fin)

Technical term in ichthyology; refers to the flexible, segmented fin rays, as opposed to hard spines (棘条). Often contrasted with 鰭条 (きじょう) which can refer to fin rays in general.

See also: 鰭条

• この魚さかなの背せびれには軟なん条じょうが10本ぽんある。

  This fish has ten soft rays in its dorsal fin.

• 軟なん条じょうと棘きょく条じょうの数かずは種しゅの同どう定ていに重じゅう要ようだ。

  The counts of soft rays and spines are important for species identification.