Leptocardia

1 definition found

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

  Leptocardia \Lep`to*car"di*a\ (l[e^]p`t[-o]*k[aum]r"d[i^]*[.a]),
     n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. lepto`s small + kardi`a the heart.]
     (Zool.)
     The lowest class of Vertebrata, including only the Amphioxus.
     The heart is represented only by a simple pulsating vessel.
     The blood is colorless; the brain, renal organs, and limbs


     are wanting, and the backbone is represented only by a
     simple, unsegmented notochord. See {Amphioxus}. [Written also
     {Leptocardii}.]
     [1913 Webster]