Rhombozoan.
/ˌrɒmbə(ʊ)ˈzəʊə/, U.S. /ˌrɑmbəˈzoʊə/ Zoology.
With plural agreement: a small phylum or class (formerly an order) of microscopic mesozoan worms occurring only as parasites in the kidneys of cephalopod molluscs. Also: worms of this group (collectively or individually).
ΚΠ
1892 Amer. Naturalist 26 329 The system thus far adopted is: Mionelminthes: I. Rhombozoa... II. Orthonectida.]
1954 Q. Rev. Biol. 29 231/1 Furthermore, van Beneden proposed a class, the Rhombozoa, to contain the two orders, Dicyemida..and Heterocyemida.
1996 Molecular Biol. & Evol. 13 1128 The phylum Mesozoa comprises small, simply organized wormlike parasites of marine invertebrates and is composed of two classes, the Rhombozoa and the Orthonectida.
2002 H. J. Morowitz Emergence of Everything xiv. 94 Rhombozoa are the simplest of the many eutelic organisms and are composed of 20 to 30 somatic cells.
Derivatives
rhomboˈzoan n. (and adj.)
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1972 Syst. Zool. 21 210 The rhombozoans and digenetic trematodes are initially parasites of mollusks and the dicyemids arose and evolved with the cephalopods.
1987 M. S. Laverack & J. Dando Lect. Notes Invertebr. Zool. (ed. 3) vi. 42 (caption) Rhombozoan vermiforms of similar morphological type.
1998 L. Margulis & K. V. Schwartz Five Kingdoms (ed. 3) Pref. xvii We now consider the rhombozoans and orthonectids, formerly together in Phylum Mesozoa, to be separate phyla.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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