Vorticellae

3 definitions found

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

  Vorticella \Vor`ti*cel"la\, n.; pl. E. {Vorticellas}, L.
     {Vorticellae}. [NL., dim. fr. L. vortex. See {Vortex}.]
     (Zool.)
     Any one of numerous species of ciliated Infusoria belonging
     to {Vorticella} and many other genera of the family
     {Vorticellidae}. They have a more or less bell-shaped body


     with a circle of vibrating cilia around the oral disk. Most
     of the species have slender, contractile stems, either simple
     or branched.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  vorticella
       n : any of various protozoa having a transparent goblet-shaped
           body with a retractile stalk
       [also: {vorticellae} (pl)]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  vorticellae
       See {vorticella}