volvox

3 definitions found

volvox - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Volvox \Vol"vox\, n. (Bot.)
     A genus of minute, pale-green, globular, organisms, about one
     fiftieth of an inch in diameter, found rolling through water,
     the motion being produced by minute colorless cilia. It has
     been considered as belonging to the flagellate Infusoria, but
     is now referred to the vegetable kingdom, and each globule is
     considered a colony of many individuals. The commonest
     species is Volvox globator, often called globe animalcule
     .
     [1913 Webster]

  Animalcule \An`i*mal"cule\, n. [As if fr. a L. animalculum, dim.
     of animal.]
     1. A small animal, as a fly, spider, etc. [Obs.] --Ray.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) An animal, invisible, or nearly so, to the naked
        eye. See Infusoria.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Many of the so-called animalcules have been shown to be
           plants, having locomotive powers something like those
           of animals. Among these are Volvox, the
           Desmidiac[ae], and the siliceous Diatomace[ae].
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Spermatic animalcules. See Spermatozoa.
        [1913 Webster]

volvox - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Volvox
      n 1: type genus of the Volvocaceae; minute pale green
           flagellates occurring in tiny spherical colonies; minute
           flagella rotate the colony about an axis [syn: Volvox,
           genus Volvox]