In zoology, the basal portion or trunk of a crinoid (sea lily), from which the arms extend.
From Greek 'kaulos' (stem) + 'sarkos' (flesh). Applied specifically to crinoid anatomy to describe the fleshy stem-like body from which radial arms originate.
Sea lilies look like underwater flowers, but their 'caulosarc' is actually a muscular stalk that can flex and adjust to water currents—basically a flexible plant-like animal trunk!
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