ascidian

American  

[uh-sid-ee-uhn] / əˈsɪd i ən /

noun

1. any solitary or colonial tunicate of the class Ascidiacea, exhibiting in the larval stage the vertebrate characteristics of a notocord and hollow nerve cord.

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adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the class Ascidiacea.

ascidian British  

/ əˈsɪdɪən /

noun

1. any minute marine invertebrate animal of the class Ascidiacea, such as the sea squirt, the adults of which are degenerate and sedentary: subphylum Tunicata (tunicates)

2. the free-swimming larva of an ascidian, having a tadpole-like tail containing the notochord and nerve cord

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Ascidiacea

Etymology

Origin of ascidian

1855–60; < New Latin Ascidi ( um ) a tunicate genus ( ascidium ) + -an

Example Sentences

"Especially the ascidian larva is an ideal model for understanding early vertebrate development."

From Science Daily

Some of their descendants have retained their ascidian associations.

From Science Magazine

There are several advantages to studying embryonic development in sea squirts — which are also known as ascidians.

From Nature

In the sea and along its shores swarm organisms of the other living world — marine diatoms, crustaceans, ascidians, sea hares, priapulids, coral, loriciferans and on through the still mostly unfilled encyclopedia of life.

From New York Times

An egg does not come from a stone, and the ascidian did not come from a lifeless rock.

From Project Gutenberg