myxosporidian
- noun
- /mɪkˌsoʊpəˈrɪdiən/
- Specialized
- A myxosporidian parasite can cause significant damage to the gills of salmon.
Examples
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The disease was traced to a myxosporidian infecting the fish population in the pond.
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Scientists are studying how myxosporidians affect aquaculture and wild ecosystems.
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The myxosporidian was found in the gills of the fish.
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Many myxosporidians are harmful to aquatic life.
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A myxosporidian parasite can cause significant damage to the gills of salmon.
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The disease was traced to a myxosporidian infecting the fish population in the pond.
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Scientists are studying how myxosporidians affect aquaculture and wild ecosystems.
Surface Forms
Morphology
myxosporidian = Myxosporea (opaque) = myxo + spor + idian
The term is a specialized taxonomic formation from technical combining forms ('myxo-' and 'spor-') plus a taxonomic suffix; this formation and its specific biological meaning are not inferable by average learners.
Etymology
Myxosporidian comes from Greek parts myxo- meaning 'slime' and spore meaning 'seed' or 'spore', so you can imagine a 'slimy seed'. That's why a myxosporidian is a tiny parasite that makes spores and often lives in fish, sometimes causing disease.