coelom
Americannoun
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coeloms,
plural
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coelomata
plural
noun
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The body cavity that forms from the mesoderm during the embryonic development of more complex animals. The coelom suspends the gut in fluid in the middle of the body, protecting it from gravity and allowing great increases in body size. The presence or absence of a coelom is important for the classification of animal phyla.
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See more at deuterostome protostome
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of coelom
1875–80; < Greek koílōma cavity, equivalent to koilō-, variant stem of koiloûn to hollow out (verbal derivative of koîlos hollow) + -ma noun suffix denoting result
Vocabulary lists containing coelom
Example Sentences
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In deuterostomes, internal pockets of the endodermal lining called the archenteron fuse to form the coelom.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
Primarily, the coelom provides cushioning and shock absorption for the major organ systems.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
In some animals, such as mammals, the part of the coelom called the pleural cavity provides space for the lungs to expand during breathing.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
Deuterostomes differ in that their coelom forms through a process called enterocoely.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
Development shows that the glandular tube is mesoblastic in origin and is of the nature of a coelomoduct, while the end-sac is to be regarded as a vestigial portion of the coelom.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 7 "Crocoite" to "Cuba" by Various
Although still functional, these are considered false coeloms, and those animals are called pseudocoelomates.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015
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