Appendicularia

/əpɛndɪkjuˈlɛriə/ noun

A genus of small, free-floating marine animals (tunicates) that use appendages to filter-feed in ocean water; also called larvaceans.

From Latin appendicula (small appendage) + -aria (suffix for organisms, as in malaria). Named for their distinctive appendages, these creatures exemplify taxonomic naming based on visible features.

📖 Full word page — etymology, 47 translations, audio 🔑 Get Free API Key — 50 lookups/day 📚 Read the Docs — integrate Word Orb