Coelomate

/ˈsiːloʊmeɪt/ adjective, noun

Definition

An animal that possesses a true body cavity (coeloma) or the adjective describing animals with this feature.

Etymology

From Greek 'koilos' (hollow) + English suffix '-ate.' This term emerged in late 19th-century zoology to distinguish animals with true body cavities from simpler organisms.

Kelly Says

The evolution of the coeloma was a game-changer for animal evolution—it allowed bodies to become larger and more complex, enabling the rise of every vertebrate on Earth!

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