cyclostome

noun
UK /ˈsaɪ.klə.stəʊm/
US /ˈsaɪ.klə.stoʊm/

A cyclostome is a fish with no jaw, like a lamprey or a hagfish.

The scientist studied a cyclostome to learn how jawless fish eat.

SYNONYMS

jawless fishagnathanlampreyhagfish

RELATED WORDS

vertebrateeelsuckercartilagemarine

OTHER MEANINGS

2. Any of the primitive eel-like vertebrates of the class Cyclostomata, having a circular sucking mouth instead of jaws.

Cyclostomes attach to other fish and feed on their blood.

3. A member of an obsolete taxonomic group once used to classify lampreys and hagfishes together.

Older textbooks grouped lampreys and hagfishes as cyclostomes.

4. Relating to or characteristic of the jawless fishes.

The cyclostome body plan is simple compared with that of jawed fish.