zooxanthella

[ zoh-uh-zan-thel-uh ]

noun

, plural zo·o·xan·thel·lae [zoh-, uh, -zan-, thel, -ee].

1. any of various symbiotic yellow-green or yellow–brown algae in the cytoplasm of certain radiolarians and marine invertebrates.

Word History and Origins

Origin of zooxanthella¹

First recorded in 1880–85; from New Latin; zoo- ( def ) + xantho- ( def ) + -ella ( def )

Example Sentences

Similar yellow zooxanthella or green zoochlorella are found as symbionta in the tissues of many animals.

From Project Gutenberg