before a vowel loph-, comb. f. of Gr. λόφος crest, in many scientific words, as Lophocercal a. [Gr. κέρκος tail] (see quot.). Lophocercy, the lophocercal stage of development of the fin-system of Ichthyopsida. Lophoderm [Gr. δέρμα skin], a crested or spiny back. Lophodont a. and sb. [Gr. ὀδοντ-, ὀδούς tooth], (a) adj., characterized by having transverse or longitudinal ridges on the crowns of the molar teeth; (b) sb., an animal with this kind of dentition. ǁ Lophopoda [Gr. ποδ-, πούς foot], sb. pl., the fresh-water Polyzoa, which have a horseshoe-shaped lophophore. Lophosteon [Gr. ὀστέον bone], the median bone, including the keel, of the sternum of a carinate bird.
1885. J. A. Ryder, in Amer. Nat., XIX. 92. *Lophocercy.—The second stage of development of the median fin-system of Ichthyopsida is what I have called *lophocercal … when it consists of continuous folds … or exceptionally of discontinuous folds … which do not include permanent rays. Ibid., 97. Lophocercal larva of the codfish.
1836. Blackw. Mag., XXXIX. 306. The thorny *lophoderme of a centronote or stickleback.
1854. Badham, Halieut., 117. His [the perch’s] prickly lophoderme is indeed a formidable affair.
1887. E. D. Cope, Orig. Fittest, vii. 246. The subordinate types of *Lophodonts. Ibid., 247. Four types of Lophodont dentition.
1880. F. P. Pascoe, Zool. Classif. (ed. 2), 68. *Lophopoda.
1889. Sedgwick, trans. Claus’ Zool., II. (ed. 2), 78. The Lophopoda are mainly distinguished by the bilateral arrangement of the numerous tentacles on the two-armed lophophore.
1884. Coues, Key N. Amer. Birds, 143. The median ossification, which includes the keel, is the *lophosteon.
