echinodermata
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A phylum of marine invertebrates: "Echinodermata" is the scientific name for a major phylum of exclusively marine animals characterized by radial symmetry, typically pentamerous (five-part) in adults, and a unique water vascular system used for locomotion and feeding.
- Distinctive physical features: Members of this phylum possess an endoskeleton of calcareous plates or ossicles, often forming spines or bumps, which gives the group its name (from Greek echinos, "hedgehog, sea urchin" + derma, "skin").
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The phylum Echinodermata includes familiar creatures like starfish and sea urchins.
- Marine biologists study the development and ecology of Echinodermata.
Advanced Usage
- In taxonomic classification: The term is always capitalized as it is a proper taxonomic rank (Phylum Echinodermata).
- The fossil record shows that Echinodermata have existed since the early Cambrian period.
Variants and Related Words
- Echinoderm (n): Any member of the phylum Echinodermata.
- A starfish is a common type of echinoderm.
- Echinodermal (adj): Pertaining to or characteristic of echinoderms.
- The echinodermal skeleton is composed of calcite.
Synonyms
- Spiny-skinned animals: A descriptive, non-scientific synonym referring to their characteristic appearance.
- None (Scientific term): As a formal taxonomic name, it has no direct, precise synonym in common language.
Related Phrases / Collocations
- Phylum Echinodermata: The full, formal taxonomic designation.
- The specimen was classified within the Phylum Echinodermata.
- Echinodermata larvae: Refers to the bilaterally symmetrical larval stage, which is distinct from the radially symmetrical adult form.
- The study focused on the metamorphosis of Echinodermata larvae.
Related Idioms
- None: This is a precise scientific term and is not used in idiomatic expressions.
Noun
- radially symmetrical marine invertebrates including e.g. starfish and sea urchins and sea cucumbers