mudskipper
noun
mud·skip·per
ˈməd-ˌski-pər 
: any of several Asian and African gobies (genera Periophthalmus and Boleophthalmus) that are able to skip about actively over wet mud and sand
Examples of mudskipper in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The unusual looking mudskipper has a startling face, and a fascinating backstory.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2023
Environment Science Two mudskippers fighting in shallow waters at Mai Po Nature Reserve in Hong Kong.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2023
This isn’t necessarily unique to mudskippers, though.
—Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2023
Strangely enough, mudskipper’s blink lasts roughly the same length of time as a human’s.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2023
Other species of fish, such as the mudskipper, can get around out of the water using just their front fins as walking sticks or with a less than elegant full body wiggle, but the cave angel fish, and perhaps nearly a dozen of its brethren, are the only ones to use a four-finned gait, per the Times.
—Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Sep. 2020
Combined with their rigid trunk, these new findings lead Clack and her colleagues to conclude that the best living analogy for Ichthyostega is a mudskipper.
—Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2012
The closest living analogue is probably the mudskipper – a fish that drags itself along muddy land with its front fins (as in the video below).
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2012
Enter the mudskipper — a rather unique group of over 30 different species of fish that love to just get out the water and roam around on the land.
—Geoff Webb, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2021
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2023
Environment Science Two mudskippers fighting in shallow waters at Mai Po Nature Reserve in Hong Kong.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2023
This isn’t necessarily unique to mudskippers, though.
—Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2023
Strangely enough, mudskipper’s blink lasts roughly the same length of time as a human’s.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2023
Other species of fish, such as the mudskipper, can get around out of the water using just their front fins as walking sticks or with a less than elegant full body wiggle, but the cave angel fish, and perhaps nearly a dozen of its brethren, are the only ones to use a four-finned gait, per the Times.
—Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Sep. 2020
Combined with their rigid trunk, these new findings lead Clack and her colleagues to conclude that the best living analogy for Ichthyostega is a mudskipper.
—Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2012
The closest living analogue is probably the mudskipper – a fish that drags itself along muddy land with its front fins (as in the video below).
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2012
Enter the mudskipper — a rather unique group of over 30 different species of fish that love to just get out the water and roam around on the land.
—Geoff Webb, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mudskipper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1860, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near mudskipper
Cite this Entry
“Mudskipper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mudskipper. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on mudskipper
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mudskipper
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