Hexactinelline

/ˌhɛksæktɪˈnɛlaɪn/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or characteristic of hexactinellid sponges or their six-rayed spicule structure.

Etymology

From Hexactinellida + '-ine' (relating to), a common suffix in biology for creating adjectives that describe membership or characteristic features of taxonomic groups.

Kelly Says

The hexactinelline skeleton is so perfectly geometric that scientists initially thought it was artificial when they first dredged samples from the ocean floor—the symmetry seemed too perfect to be natural.

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