anisobranchial
|a-ni-so-bran-chi-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌænɪsoʊˈbræŋkiəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌænɪsəʊˈbræŋkiəl/
unequal gills
Etymology
'anisobranchial' originates from Greek elements, specifically 'aniso-' and 'branchia', where 'aniso-' meant 'unequal' and 'branchia' meant 'gills'.
'anisobranchial' is a modern scientific coinage formed in New Latin/English from Greek roots: 'aniso-' + 'branchial' (from Greek 'branchia'), used in anatomical and zoological descriptions.
Initially it literally combined the elements 'unequal' + 'gills'; over time it has been used consistently in specialized biological contexts to describe unequal or asymmetrical branchial structures.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having unequal gills or unequal gill arches; describing a condition in which branchial (gill) structures are asymmetrical in size or form.
The fossil specimen was described as anisobranchial because its left and right gill arches differed markedly in size.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/16 16:55