microfauna

8.9

Very small animals that you can only see with a microscope

noun
/ˌmaɪkroʊˈfɔːnə/

Specialized

: microfauna

Diverse crop species encourage soil microfauna, which can help reduce soilborne plant diseases.
microfauna in the soil

Examples

Students recorded plant diversity and collected samples for microfauna and soil analysis.

Academic text (2004)
Scientists study soil composition to identify the diverse microfauna living beneath the surface.
The health of the ecosystem relies on the presence of microfauna that break down organic matter.
In her research, she discovered several new species of microfauna in the pond water.

Synonyms

microzooid

vsmicrofauna

Specialized

5 9.9

A very small animal that lives in water or in a colony

includes tiny animals in any habitat not only aquatic ones

animalculum

vsmicrofauna

Archaic

9.9

A tiny living creature that you can see only with a microscope, like an amoeba

is broader covering very small animals beyond single celled forms

animalcule

vsmicrofauna

Archaic

9.9

A very small single-celled creature that you can see with a microscope, like an amoeba

is broader covering very small animals not limited to single celled types

How Small

microzooid

Specialized

5 9.9

microfauna

Specialized

8.9

Surface Forms

microfauna singular

microfaunas plural

Morphology

microfauna = fauna (transparent) = micro + fauna

The meaning is directly built from the prefix micro- 'small' plus fauna 'animals'.

Etymology

Microfauna combines micro- ('small', as in microscope) and fauna ('animals', as in 'flora and fauna'). So, microfauna are 'very small animals' you often need a microscope to see.