a small phylum of invertebrates comprising the entoprocts: considered a subphylum of Bryozoa, from which it is distinguished by having the anus of the polyp near the mouth within the crown of tentacles
Also called: Endoprocta Compare Ectoprocta
Word origin
[‹ NL, equiv. to ento-ento- + -procta ‹ Gk -prōkta, neut. pl. of -prōktos, adj. deriv. of prōktós anus, rectum]