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Webster 1913 Edition


Pedicellaria


Pedˊi-cel-la′ri-a

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Pedicellariæ
(#)
.
[NL. See
Pedicel
.]
(Zool.)
A peculiar forcepslike organ which occurs in large numbers upon starfishes and echini. Those of starfishes have two movable jaws, or blades, and are usually nearly, or quite, sessile; those of echini usually have three jaws and a pedicel. See Illustration in Appendix.

Definition 2024


pedicellaria

pedicellaria

English

Noun

pedicellaria (plural pedicellariae)

  1. (biology) A small, stalk-shaped structure of the sea urchin and other echinoderms, which has three pincer-like structures at the end that perform cleaning functions and serve as defense against predators.

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