toxaspiren.
/ˈtɒksəspʌɪə/ Zoology.
In sponges, a form of microsclere or flesh-spicule: see quots.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Parazoa > phylum Porifera > [noun] > member of > parts of > sponge spicule > flesh spicule > having form of bow
toxaspire1887
toxon1894
tox1909
1887 W. J. Sollas in Encycl. Brit. XXII. 417/2 A turn and a part of a turn of a spiral of somewhat higher pitch than that of a sigmaspire gives the toxaspire.
1888 W. J. Sollas in Rep. Sci. Results Voy. H.M.S. Challenger: Zool. XXV. p. lxii Toxaspire.—A spiral rod in which the twist a little exceeds a single revolution. The pitch of the spiral is usually great and the spicule consequently appears bow-shaped when viewed laterally.
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toxaˈspiral adj. pertaining to or of the form of a toxaspire.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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n.1887