climbing perch

American  

noun

1. a brown labyrinth fish, Anabas testudineus, of southeastern Asia and the Malay Archipelago, having a specialized breathing apparatus that enables it to leave the water and move about on land.

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Etymology

Origin of climbing perch

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

The climbing perch, or Anabas testudineus, has sharp spines on the extendable cover of its gills, which it uses to drag itself over dry land as it travels from one waterhole to another.

From The Guardian • Jun. 2, 2015

Waltham said the climbing perch was just one of several invasive wetland-dwelling species in PNG – including walking catfish, snakehead, pacu, tilapia and gourami – that posed a possible threat to Australian habitats.

From The Guardian • Jun. 2, 2015

Waltham said he observed climbing perch living in very salty waterholes, equivalent to ocean water, on a trip to the two islands in December.

From The Guardian • Jun. 2, 2015

Specialist Sirs: Like the African lung fish, the climbing perch is a specialist.

From Time Magazine Archive

In August 1853, a man carried into the Pettah hospital at Colombo, having a climbing perch, which he thus attempted to hold, firmly imbedded in his throat.

From Ceylon; an Account of the Island Physical, Historical, and Topographical with Notices of Its Natural History, Antiquities and Productions, Volume 1 by Tennent, James Emerson, Sir