onychophoran

on·y·choph·o·ran  (n-kfr-n)

n.

Any of numerous wormlike carnivorous animals of the phylum Onychophora, common in tropical and temperate forest regions and having characteristics of both arthropods and annelid worms. Also called peripatus, velvet worm.

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[From New Latin Onychophora, phylum name : Greek onux, onukh-, nail, claw; see onyx + Greek -phora, neuter pl. of -phoros, -phore.]

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ony·chopho·ran adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

onychophoran - any of numerous velvety-skinned wormlike carnivorous animals common in tropical forests having characteristics of both arthropods and annelid worms peripatus, velvet worm arthropod - invertebrate having jointed limbs and a segmented body with an exoskeleton made of chitin class Onychophora, Onychophora - enigmatic small elongated wormlike terrestrial invertebrates of damp dark habitats in warm regions; distinct from the phylum Annelida; resemble slugs with legs and are sometimes described as the missing link between arthropods and annelids Plicatoperipatus jamaicensis - a kind of onychophoran