endostyle

[ en-duh-stahyl ]

noun

, Anatomy.

1. a ciliated groove or pair of grooves in the pharynx of various lower chordates, as tunicates, cephalochordates, and larval cyclostomes, serving to accumulate food particles and pass them along the digestive tract.

Word History and Origins

Origin of endostyle¹

1850–55; endo- + -style ¹; so called because the groove is said to resemble a hollow rod from certain viewing angles

Example Sentences

The thyroid is, in fact, in this stage in a condition corresponding exactly with the endostyle of Amphioxus.

From Project Gutenberg

According to Kowalevsky the heart is formed during larval life as an elongated closed sack on the right side of the endostyle.

From Project Gutenberg

On the ventral wall of the branchial sack there is formed a narrow fold with thickened walls, which forms the endostyle.

From Project Gutenberg

Between the nervous system and the endostyle an involution appears, which gives rise to the mouth.

From Project Gutenberg