Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
catadromous
Adjective
/ˌkæt.əˈdrɒ.məs/
![](https://vocabdictionary.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/brand_identity-01.png)
Definition
Catadromous refers to fish that migrate from freshwater to the ocean to breed.
![](https://vocabdictionary.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/migrate-02.png)
Examples
- The eel is a well-known example of a catadromous fish, migrating to the Sargasso Sea to spawn.
- Many catadromous species face challenges due to environmental changes in their migration paths.
![](https://vocabdictionary.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ux-02.png)
Meaning
The term describes a life cycle strategy of certain species, particularly fish, that spend the majority of their lives in freshwater but move to saltwater environments to reproduce.
![](https://vocabdictionary.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/text-file-font.png)
Synonyms
- diadromous
- anadromous (though this term describes the opposite migration pattern)