zooxanthella (english) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation

Part of Speech

Noun

Phonetic Transcription

/ˌzuː.ɡzænˈθɛl.ə/

Meaning and Usage

Meaning: Zooxanthella refers to single-celled dinoflagellates that live within the tissues of coral and some other marine organisms, forming symbiotic relationships. They are vital for coral health and are responsible for the vibrant colors of coral reefs through their photosynthetic capabilities.

Usage: The term "zooxanthella" is primarily used in biological, ecological, and marine studies. Due to its specific context, it has a relatively low frequency of use in everyday conversation, being more common in written contexts like scientific articles and textbooks.

Frequency of Use: It is used less frequently in oral communication and is more often found in written scientific literature.

Example Sentences

1. The health of coral reefs heavily depends on the presence of zooxanthella, which provides them with necessary nutrients through photosynthesis.

2. Здоровье коралловых рифов сильно зависит от наличия зооантелл, которые обеспечивают им необходимые питательные вещества через фотосинтез.

3. When ocean temperatures rise, zooxanthella can be expelled from coral, leading to bleaching.

4. Когда температура океана повышается, зооантеллы могут быть выведены из кораллов, что приводит к обесцвечиванию.

5. Scientists study the relationships between marine species and zooxanthella to understand ecosystem dynamics.

6. Ученые изучают отношения между морскими видами и зооантеллами, чтобы понять динамику экосистем.

Idiomatic Expressions

While "zooxanthella" itself doesn't appear in common idiomatic expressions due to its scientific nature, it contributes to several expressions specific to marine biology and ecology. Here are a few related phrases and sentences:

1. Coral bleaching refers to the loss of zooxanthella from coral tissue.

2. Обесцвечивание кораллов относится к потере зооантелл из коралловой ткани.

3. Symbiotic relationship highlights the mutual benefits zooxanthella and corals provide each other.

4. Симбиотические отношения подчеркивают взаимные выгоды, которые зооантеллы и кораллы предоставляют друг другу.

5. Marine biodiversity is deeply affected by the health of zooxanthella populations.

6. Морское биоразнообразие сильно зависит от здоровья популяций зооантелл.

Etymology

The word "zooxanthella" is derived from the Greek "zoo" meaning "animal," and "xanthella" from the Greek "xanthos" meaning "yellow," combined with the diminutive suffix "-ella." It literally means "little yellow animal," referring to the yellow pigments found in these dinoflagellates.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - Dinoflagellate (general term for members of the group)

Antonyms: - There are no direct antonyms for "zooxanthella" as it is a specific biological term; however, one might refer to "coral" in contexts where zooxanthellae are considered for their absence (e.g., bleached coral lacks zooxanthella).