amphioxus
noun
am·phi·ox·us
ˌam(p)-fē-ˈäk-səs 
plural amphioxi
ˌam(p)-fē-ˈäk-ˌsī
or amphioxuses
or amphioxuses
: any of a genus (Branchiostoma) of lancelets
broadly
: lancelet
Examples of amphioxus in a Sentence
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So, the presence of cartilage suggests that, even at this early stage of their evolution, vertebrates probably had a distinct nerve cord that produced a neural crest—something that our close relatives like the amphioxus doesn't have.
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John Timmer, Ars Technica, 7 July 2022
If that interpretation is correct, then that would mean yunnanozoans look a lot like an amphioxus, but have a feature that's otherwise found only in modern vertebrates.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 7 July 2022
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John Timmer, Ars Technica, 7 July 2022
If that interpretation is correct, then that would mean yunnanozoans look a lot like an amphioxus, but have a feature that's otherwise found only in modern vertebrates.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 7 July 2022
Dictionary Entries Near amphioxus
Cite this Entry
“Amphioxus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amphioxus. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
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Medical Definition
amphioxus
1 of 2 noun
am·phi·ox·us
ˌam(p)-fē-ˈäk-səs
: a lancelet of the genus Branchiostoma
broadly
: lancelet
Amphioxus
2 of 2 nountaxonomic synonym of branchiostoma
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