Acoelomatous

/ˌæ.siː.ləˈmoʊ.təs/ adjective

Definition

Describing an organism or animal that lacks a true body cavity or coelom.

Etymology

Adjective form of 'acoelomata,' using the suffix '-ous' (meaning 'characterized by' or 'full of'). The term was used extensively in descriptive zoology and comparative anatomy from the 1800s through mid-1900s.

Kelly Says

When biologists would describe an organism as 'acoelomatous,' they were saying it was 'cavity-less,' and this feature actually matters for how the creature's organs function and how it moves through the world!

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