The word "aphodus" is spelled with an "h" after the first letter "a" because it is derived from the Greek language where the "h" serves as a rough breathing mark indicating the pronunciation of the sound /h/. In IPA phonetic transcription, "aphodus" is pronounced as /ˈæfədəs/, with the stress on the first syllable. This word refers to a type of fish that belongs to the family of catfish, and is known for its distinctive elongated body shape and flat head.