Definition of pentameral in English:
pentameral
adjective pɛnˈtamərəlpenˈtamərəl
Zoology (of symmetry) fivefold, as typical of many echinoderms.
Compare with pentamerous
Example sentencesExamples
- The distinctive pentameral symmetry of this specimen has no close similarity to figured articular facets of fossil and recent hyocrinids.
- The most distinctive thing about echinoderm appearance is their pentameral - that is, a five fold - radial symmetry.
- Members of the Early Cambrian classes tend to have rather simple morphology with short stems, poorly developed pentameral symmetry, and numerous plates; in addition, diversity was low with only one or two genera occurring together.
- The echinoderm body plan has pentameral symmetry, a water vascular system and a ring-shaped nervous system.
- However, holothurians retain pentameral (five-rayed) symmetry, with five rows of tube feet running from the mouth along the body.
Derivatives
adverb
Zoology Pentamerally symmetric echinoderms are a bilaterian metazoan phylum whose members exhibit secondarily derived radial symmetry.
Example sentencesExamples
- Some forms, such as the starfish, are pentamerally symmetrical, with five equal sides.
noun
Zoology The other viewpoint is that the number of rays is intrinsically fixed at five, and therefore it is the deviations from pentamery that need explanation wherever they occur.