gastrotrich

American  

[gas-truh-trik] / ˈgæs trə trɪk /

noun

1. any of the microscopic, multicellular animals of the class or phylum Gastrotricha, of fresh or salt waters, characterized by bands of cilia on the ventral surface of the bottle-shaped or ribbony body and by a protrusible feeding apparatus at the mouth.

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gastrotrich British  

/ ˈɡæstrətrɪk /

noun

1. any minute aquatic multicellular animal of the phylum Gastrotricha, having a wormlike body covered with cilia and bristles

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Other Word Forms

• gastrotrichan adjective

Etymology

Origin of gastrotrich

1935–40; < New Latin Gastrotricha, equivalent to gastro- gastro- + Greek -tricha neuter plural of -trichos -haired, adj. derivative of thríx hair

Example Sentences

They use these tubes to glue themselves to sand grains, which may be why the gastrotrich in this video had that embarrassing bit of detritus stuck to it like toilet paper.

From Scientific American

You could see the spines on the gastrotrich in the video quite clearly.

From Scientific American

Four-pronged spines on the body of the gastrotrich Thaumastoderma ramuliferum.

From Scientific American

Yet mice are like Methuselah compared with the gastrotrich, a water-dwelling invertebrate the size of a poppy seed.

From New York Times