appendicularian
|ap-pen-dic-u-lar-i-an|
🇺🇸
/əˌpɛndɪˈkjʊləriən/
🇬🇧
/əˌpɛndɪˈkjʊl(ə)riən/
small, tail-bearing tunicate (makes mucous houses)
Etymology
'appendicularian' originates from New Latin 'Appendicularia' (taxonomic class name), formed from Latin 'appendicula' (diminutive of 'appendix') meaning 'a small appendage', combined with the adjectival/suffix '-arian' meaning 'pertaining to'.
'appendicularian' developed from the New Latin taxonomic name 'Appendicularia', which itself derives from Latin 'appendix' (through 'appendicula'); the modern English term entered scientific usage to name the group of tunicates keeping tadpole-like features.
Initially based on the Latin root referring to a 'small appendage', the term came to denote specifically the group of tunicate animals (Appendicularia/Larvacea) rather than a general 'small appendage'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member of the class Appendicularia (also called Larvacea): a small, free-swimming tunicate that retains a tadpole-like body as an adult and often secretes a mucous 'house' used for filter feeding.
Appendicularians are abundant in some plankton communities and build mucus houses to trap food particles.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/24 15:30