Definition of Kinorhyncha in English:
Kinorhyncha
plural noun ˌkʌɪnə(ʊ)ˈrɪŋkəˌkē-
Zoology A small phylum of minute marine invertebrates that have a spiny body and burrow in sand or mud.
Example sentencesExamples
- The Kinorhyncha are microscopic, spiny-headed worms.
- I was assigned the Kinorhyncha, Tardigrada and Priapulida as topics to present.
- The fine structure of the mouth cone, the introvert with scalids, and the circumenteric brain indicate that this meiofaunal phylum is monophyletic, related to Kinorhyncha and Priapulida.
- Based on these preliminary observations we expect to find about 5 different species of Kinorhyncha in these particular samples.
- All species of Kinorhyncha show a species-specific pattern of sensory spots on the trunk.
Derivatives
noun ˈkʌɪnə(ʊ)rɪŋk
Zoology Other abundant meiofaunal groups in the deep sea include kinorhynchs and ostracodes.
Example sentencesExamples
- Discovered in 1983, these tiny worms have a spiny head, and so resemble the kinorhynchs to which they are related.
- I especially enjoy working with polychaete fauna, but kinorhynchs are a close second.
- However, one part of that group - the priapulids, kinorhynchs, and loriciferans - appears to form a group in its own right.
- The kinorhynch body is divided into 3 regions: head (= introvert), very short neck, and trunk.
Origin
Modern Latin (plural), from Greek kinein 'set in motion' + rhunkos 'snout'.