Enteropneustan

/ˌɛntərɑpˈnjuːstən/ noun

Definition

An individual organism belonging to the phylum Enteropneusta; an acorn worm or related creature.

Etymology

From Enteropneusta + '-an' (suffix denoting a member of a group). This alternative naming follows the pattern of 'American' from 'America' or 'technician' from 'technique.'

Kelly Says

An enteropneustan might be the weirdest animal you've never heard of—it's basically a worm with a proboscis it uses to shovel mud, and it breathes through gill slits like a fish, making it one of evolution's strangest experiments.

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