zoochory
|zoo-cho-ry|
/zuːˈkɔːri/
seed/propagule dispersal by animals
Etymology
'zoochory' originates from New Latin, formed from Greek elements: 'zōon' meaning 'animal' and '-choria' (from Greek 'chorein') meaning 'to spread or disperse'.
'zoochory' was coined in scientific/Neo-Latin usage by combining the prefix 'zoo-' (from Greek 'zōon') with the suffix '-chory' (from Greek 'chorein'). The term entered English scientific vocabulary in the late 19th to early 20th century and has been used in ecology and botany since then.
Initially used in specialized scientific contexts to denote animal-mediated dispersal, the meaning has remained largely stable and continues to refer to dispersal of propagules by animals.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
dispersal of seeds, spores, or other plant propagules by animals (general term for animal-mediated dispersal).
Many tropical trees rely on zoochory: animals eat the fruit and later deposit the seeds elsewhere.
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Noun 2
in ecology, a category including specific modes such as endozoochory (internal transport after ingestion) and epizoochory (external transport on the animal's body).
Researchers distinguish endozoochory from epizoochory when studying mechanisms of zoochory in a given ecosystem.
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Last updated: 2025/08/27 06:37