Amorphotae

/ˌæmɔːrˈfoʊti/ noun

Definition

A zoological classification (now obsolete) for organisms lacking definite bodily form or shape.

Etymology

From Greek amorph- (formless) + -tae (plural suffix used in taxonomy). An archaic scientific term from early biological classification systems.

Kelly Says

Early biologists were basically asking 'what do we do with creatures that don't fit our neat categories?' and they invented Latin names like 'amorphotae' to basically say 'the shapeless ones'—now we know those organisms fit perfectly into evolutionary history.

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