zoo-, zoa-, zo-, -zoic, -zoid, -zoite, -zoal, -zonal, -zooid, -zoon, -zoa, -zoan +

An animal with spines or spine-like growths.

Solitary or colonial coelenterates without any free-swimming medusa stage and with the coelenteron divided by mesenteries. The group includes most of the common sea-anemones and corals.

Coelenterata consist of a rather large phylum of sedentary or free-swimming animals having a radially symmetrical sac-like body with a mouth at one end, usually surrounded by a ring of stinging tentacles.

The digestive cavity, known as the coelenteron, has only this opening, but repeated budding may give rise to a colony in which all the body-cavities are connected with each other.

The body-wall is diploblastic, that is, made of two layers of cells, ectoderm and endoderm with a gelatinous layer known as the mesogloea between them.

The individuals of a colony are known as polyps or hydroids. They form the asexual sedentary generation which alternates with a free-swimming sexual phase known as the medusa. The latter is a disc-shaped jelly-fish which breaks away from the parent colony and swims away. It produces gametes and after fertilization has taken place, a new polyp colony develops.

Included in the Coelenterata are corals and anemones in which the hydroid stage is dominant, jelly-fish in which the medusoid stage is dominant, and complex forms such as the Portuguese Man-of-war formed by a large floating colony of diverse polyps.

Of or pertaining to the Actinozoa.

Saltwater animals, such as corals, sea anemones, sea fans, etc.

The study of wild animals or a reference to wild animals.

An abnormal or excessive fear of wild animals.

Animals without a mouth or regular internal organs; such as, the sponges.

A rarely used taxon of the animal kingdom erected in contrast to Parazoa (taxon of the animal kingdom at one time erected to contain the phylum Porifera) and which therefore contained all animals except Protozoa and Porifera.

Motile male gametes produced in antheridia; spermatozoids.

Another name for the Zoophytes called Actinozoa, including sea-anemones, coralline polypes, etc.

Of or pertaining to the Anthozoa.

An individual animalcule of a compound Zoophyte.

See actinozoa.

1. Characterized by human existence, especially in the Quaternary period.
2. Pertaining to or designating the time that has elapsed, or the rocks that have been deposited, since mankind appeared on the earth.

An animal disease (zoonosis) maintained in nature by animals and transmissible to humans; e.g., rabies, brucellosis.

Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by Brucella (non-motile-parasitic bacteria), characterized by fever, sweating, weakness, aches, and pains, and transmitted to man by direct contact with diseased animals or trough ingestion of infected meat, milk, or cheese, and is particularly hazardous to veterinarians, farmers, and slaughterhouse workers.