Bryozoa

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bryozoa \Bry`o*zo"a\, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? moss + ? animal.]
     (Zool.)
     A class of Molluscoidea, including minute animals which by
     budding form compound colonies; -- called also {Polyzoa}.
     [1913 Webster]
  


     Note: They are often coralike in form and appearance, each
           small cell containing an individual zooid. Other
           species grow in delicate, flexible, branched forms,
           resembling moss, whence the name. Some are found in
           fresh water, but most are marine. The three principal
           divisions are {Ectoprocta}, {Entoprocta}, and
           {Pterobranchia}. See {Cyclostoma}, {Chilostoma}, and
           {Phylactolema}.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  bryozoa
       See {bryozoan}

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Bryozoa
       n : marine or freshwater animals that form colonies of zooids
           [syn: {phylum Bryozoa}, {polyzoa}]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  bryozoan
       n : sessile aquatic animal forming mosslike colonies of small
           polyps each having a curved or circular ridge bearing
           tentacles; attach to stones or seaweed and reproduce by
           budding [syn: {polyzoan}, {sea mat}, {sea moss}, {moss
           animal}]
       [also: {bryozoa} (pl)]