periphyton

American  

[puh-rif-i-ton] / pəˈrɪf ɪˌtɒn /

noun

Ecology.

1. the community of tiny organisms, as protozoans, hydras, insect larvae, and snails, that lives on the surfaces of rooted aquatic plants.

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periphyton British  

/ pəˈrɪfɪˌtɒn /

noun

1. aquatic organisms, such as certain algae, that live attached to rocks or other surfaces

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Other Word Forms

• periphytic adjective

Etymology

Origin of periphyton

1940–45; probably peri- + Greek phŷton plant, -phyte, on the model of plankton