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Definition of stoplight loosejaw

stoplight loosejaw

Plural:stoplight loosejaws
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• noun

1

A small, predatory deep-sea fish belonging to the genus Malacosteus, characterized by a highly flexible, open-floor lower jaw and the rare ability to produce and perceive red bioluminescence, which it uses as an invisible spotlight to hunt prey in the dark ocean depths.

Example

"Marine biologists were thrilled to capture footage of a stoplight loosejaw using its red bioluminescence to illuminate tiny crustaceans in the pitch-black depths of the abyss."

• Nearby Words

stopcock
stopgap
stoplight
stoplight loosejaw
stopover
stoppable
stoppage

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Stoplight loosejaw. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/stoplight-loosejaw
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