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Moss animal

 - 4 dictionary results

bry⋅o⋅zo⋅an

[brahy-uh-zoh-uhn]
–adjective
1. belonging or pertaining to the Bryozoa.
–noun
2. Also called moss animal. any sessile marine or freshwater animal of the phylum Bryozoa, forming branching, encrusting, or gelatinous mosslike colonies of many small polyps, each having a circular or horseshoe-shaped ridge bearing ciliated tentacles, occurring on algae or on shaded objects.


Origin:
1870–75; Bryozo(a) + -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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bry·o·zo·an   (brī'ə-zō'ən)   
n.  Any of various small aquatic animals of the phylum Bryozoa that reproduce by budding and form mosslike or branching colonies permanently attached to stones or seaweed. Also called moss animal, polyzoan.
adj.  Of or belonging to the Bryozoa.

[From New Latin Bryozōa, phylum name : bryo- + Greek zōia, pl. of zōion, animal; see -zoon.]
moss animal  
n.  See bryozoan.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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