microfauna

American  

[mahy-kroh-faw-nuh] / ˌmaɪ kroʊˈfɔ nə /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

plural

microfaunas, microfaunae

1. Biology. microscopic animals.

2. Ecology. the fauna of a microhabitat.

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Other Word Forms

• microfaunal adjective

Etymology

Origin of microfauna

First recorded in 1900–05; micro- + fauna

Example Sentences

Hidden by their size and habits, salamanders — those charismatic microfauna integral to ecological functions — are equally worthy of consideration.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 28, 2023

Then it turned into a microfauna park for insects, mushrooms and the odd frog that had wandered in as if out of a fable, gold-eyed and dark as a fig.

From New York Times • Apr. 21, 2016

Scientists are increasingly convinced that the vast assemblage of microfauna in our intestines may have a major impact on our state of mind.

From Scientific American • Mar. 2, 2015

Such findings raise the possibility that scientists might be able to create a “package” of charcoal, nutrients, and microfauna that could be used to transform bad tropical soil into terra preta.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann