Dinoflagellata

noun plural

Di·​no·​flag·​el·​la·​ta ˌdī-nō-ˌflaj-ə-ˈlät-ə How to pronounce Dinoflagellata (audio) -ˈlāt- How to pronounce Dinoflagellata (audio)
: a division or phylum of chiefly marine unicellular plantlike protists that comprise the dinoflagellates, that are typically enclosed in a cellulose envelope, that have one transverse flagellum running in a groove about the body and one posterior flagellum extending out from a similar median groove, and that include luminescent forms, important elements of marine food chains, and most of the flagellates that cause red tide (such as members of the genus Gymnodinium)

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Cite this Entry

“Dinoflagellata.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/Dinoflagellata. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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