Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology: Complete Work - Best Text

282Maggenti and Gardnerdrozoa) A small nematocyst of hydras with a short unarmedspirally coiled tubule, which functions in entanglingand wrapping around bristles of prey; volvent.desmosome n. [Gr. desmos, bond; soma, body] 1. That portionof a cell membrane specialized for adhesion to aneighboring cell. 2. (ARTHRO: Insecta) An attachment areabetween epidermal and muscle cells; the muscle fibrils ofthe muscles attach on one side and the epidermal microtubulesattach on the other side of the desmosome. seehemidesmosome, tonofibrillae.Desmospongiae n. [Gr. desmos, bond; spongos, sponge] Aclass of sponges encompassing 90% of all existing spongeswith ancestory tracing back to simple Cambrian sponges(500 million years).Desor's larva (NEMER) Oval ciliated postgastral stage (in theegg) of Lineus ; develops like the pilidium larva.desquamation n. [L. de, away from; squama, scale] Peelingor scaling off of cuticle or epidermis in flakes.desynapsis n. [L. de, away from; Gr. synaptos, joined together]Separation of paired chromosomes during the diplotenephase of the first meiotic division; desyndesis; deconjugation.see asynapsis.desyndesis see desynapsisdeterminant n. [L. de, away from; terminus, limit] A hypotheticalunit of inheritance.determinate a. [L. de, away from; terminus, limit] Havingwell-defined outlines or boundry limits.determination n. [L. de, away from; terminus, limit] A processthat initiates a specific pathway of development amongthose that are available to the cell or embryo.detorsion n. [L. de, away from; torquere, to twist] 1. Theprocess of twisting back or removing torsion; unwinding. 2.(MOLL: Gastropoda) A term used to describe the reversal oftorsion. see orthoneury, torsion.detoxification, detoxication n. [L. de, away from; toxicum,poison] Removal of toxic materials by metabolizing them.detriophagous a. [L. detritus, worn away; Gr. phagein, to eat]