epizoic
/ˌɛpɪˈzəʊɪk
/adjective Biology
(Of a plant or animal) growing or living non-parasitically on the exterior of a living animal.In marine systems, where soft sediment bottoms are common, hard substrates represent islands, supporting a variety of obligate epiphytic and epizoic taxa (encrusters)....
- Long-stalked glandular hairs of outer and inner involucral bracts of Sigesbeckia jorullensis, which are important for epizoic fruit propagation, were investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy.
Derivatives
epizoite
- Gray whales are heavily infested with ectoparasites and epizoites including the host-specific barnacle, Cryptolepas rhachianecti, and three species of whale louse - Cyamus scammoni, C. ceti and C. kessleri.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from epi- 'upon' + Greek zōion 'animal' + -ic.