DEUTEROSTOMA Meaning and
Definition
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Deuterostoma is a term used in the field of biology and zoology to refer to a category or taxonomic group of animals that share certain developmental characteristics. It is a major subdivision within the larger group called the Bilateria, which includes the majority of animal species on Earth.
The defining characteristic of deuterostomes is a pattern of embryonic development known as deuterosomy. This process involves the formation of the mouth of the animal occurring later during development than the formation of the anus. In other words, the anus forms before the mouth. This developmental pattern is different from that of the other major subdivision of Bilateria, called the protostomes, where the mouth forms before the anus.
Deuterostomes encompass a wide variety of animal groups, including chordates (which includes humans), echinoderms (such as starfish and sea urchins), and hemichordates (a small group of marine animals). These animals differ greatly in terms of their body structures and habitats, but they all share the characteristic of deuterostomy during their development.
This term, derived from the Greek words "deutero" meaning "second" and "stoma" meaning "mouth," provides a useful way to categorize animals based on their shared embryonic development patterns. Understanding the distinctions between deuterostomes and protostomes helps scientists study and classify different animal species, contributing to our understanding of the diversity of life on Earth.
Common Misspellings for DEUTEROSTOMA
- seuterostoma
- xeuterostoma
- ceuterostoma
- feuterostoma
- reuterostoma
- eeuterostoma
- dwuterostoma
- dsuterostoma
- dduterostoma
- druterostoma
- d4uterostoma
- d3uterostoma
- deyterostoma
- dehterostoma
- dejterostoma
- deiterostoma
- de8terostoma
- de7terostoma
- deurerostoma
- deuferostoma
Etymology of DEUTEROSTOMA
The word "deuterostoma" is derived from Greek roots. "Deutero" means "second" in Greek, and "stoma" means "mouth". So, "deuterostoma" means "second mouth". It refers to a developmental characteristic found in certain animals where during embryonic development, the first opening that forms becomes the anus, while the second opening becomes the mouth. This is in contrast to "protostomes", where the first opening that forms becomes the mouth.
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