appendiculariidae
|ap-pen-dic-u-la-ri-i-dae|
/əˌpɛndɪkjʊˈlɛəriədiː/
family of appendicularians (larvaceans)
Etymology
'appendiculariidae' originates from Neo-Latin, specifically the genus name 'Appendicularia' combined with the family-forming suffix '-idae'; 'Appendicularia' itself derives from Latin 'appendicula' meaning 'little appendage'.
'Appendiculariidae' was formed in modern biological taxonomy by attaching the New Latin family suffix '-idae' to the genus name 'Appendicularia', yielding the family name used in systematic zoology.
Initially the root referred to a small appendage ('appendicula'); in taxonomy it came to name the genus 'Appendicularia' and then, with '-idae', the broader family 'Appendiculariidae' denoting organisms related to that genus.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a family of small, free-swimming marine tunicates in the class Appendicularia, commonly known as appendicularians or larvaceans; members produce mucous 'houses' to filter food from the water.
Appendiculariidae are abundant in some plankton communities and play an important role in marine food webs.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/24 15:44