Unitary | An organism composed of a single functional entity i.e. a tree, a plant, a worm, a crab etc. It may or may not be equivalent to 'individual'. | |
Modular | An organism in which the zygote develops into a discrete unit which then produces more units like itself, forming a colony or modular structure, e.g. bryozoans and sea squirts. | |
Erect The main visible parts of organism stand straight and above the substratum. |
Arborescent / Arbuscular | Having the shape or characteristics of a tree. |
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Forest | A dense stand of large plants in which the upper branches (trees) or laminae (macroalgae) overlap to form a canopy that shades the under story of flora and fauna. | |
Shrub | Having a very short stem with branches near the ground (Thompson, 1995). | |
Turf | The lowest stratum of erect branching or filiform species. | |
Encrusting Forms or resembles a crust over a substratum or other organisms. |
Crustose soft | Forming or resembling a crust (Thompson, 1995) that yields to the touch or pressure e.g. the gelatinous colonies of Botryllus schlosseri or soft cushions of sponges such as Halichondria sp. |
Crustose hard | Forming or resembling a crust (Thompson, 1995) that is solid or resistant to touch or pressure e.g. the encrusting coralline algae or sea mats. | |
Cushion | A mass or pillow of soft material. | |
Mat | A dense mass which blankets the substratum. | |
Vermiform Worm-like |
Vermiform unsegmented | Worm-like where the external surface is divided into a chain of rings or 'annuli' by furrows giving the appearance of segments (Barnes et al., 1993). |
Vermiform segmented | Worm-like with the body divided into semi-independent, serially repeated units (Barnes et al., 1993) e.g. Annelida. | |
Vermiform annulated | Worm-like where the external surface is divided into a chain of rings or 'annuli' by furrows giving the appearance of segments (Barnes et al., 1993). | |
Accretion | Build up or accumulation of sediment. | |
Algal gravel | Maerl; twig-like unattached (free-living) calcareous red algae, often a mixture of species and including species which form a spiky cover on loose small stones - 'hedgehog stones'. | |
Anchor-shaped | E.g Ceratium spp. | |
Articulate | Jointed, arthrous (Holmes, 1979). | |
Bivalved | Characteristically a shell of two calcareous or chitinous valves joined by a flexible ligament. | |
Bullate / Saccate | Balloon or sac-like (Prescott, 1969). | |
Capitate / Clubbed | Enlarged or swollen at the apex, with a ‘head’, clubbed. (Prescott, 1969). | |
Chains | Formed of chains of individuals. | |
Clathrate | Latticed (Holmes, 1979). | |
Cone (conical) | Cone shaped e.g. Limpet -shaped, patelliform, (adapted from Stachowitsch, 1992). | |
Cylindrical | Straight sides and a circular section (Thompson, 1995). | |
Dendroid | Branching irregularly – similar to that of a root system (Prescott, 1969). | |
Digitate | Having parts arranged like fingers on a hand (Holmes, 1979). | |
Faunal beds | Dense aggregation of animals that visually dominate the seabed or shore such as brittlestars (e.g. Ophiothrix fragilis) or mussels (e.g. Mytilus edulis). | |
Filiform / Filamentous | Slender and thread-like (Kozloff, 1996). | |
Flabellate | Flabellate, shaped like a fan, fanlike (Brusca, 1980). | |
Flaccid | Soft, limp, flabby (Brusca, 1980). | |
Foliose | Bearing leaves or leaf-like structures; having the appearance of a leaf. | |
Funnel shaped | Shaped like a funnel. | |
Globose | Approximately spherical / ovoid / globular (Brusca, 1980). | |
Lanceolate | Lance shaped and usually elongate (Brusca, 1980). | |
Massive | Large, heavy or solid (OED, 1990). | |
Medusiform / Medusoid | Disk, bell or umbrella shaped and often gelatinous (Barnes et al., 1988). | |
Penicillate | Brush like (Prescott ,1969). | |
Pinnate | Branching like a feather – an elongate main axis with lateral branches or lobes (Prescott, 1969). | |
Pisciform | Fish shaped | |
Radial | Symmetrical about any plane passed perpendicular to the oral/aboral axis (Barnes et al., 1993). | |
Reticulate | In the form of a mesh or net (Prescott, 1969). | |
Stellate | Arranged like a star. | |
Strap-like / Ribbon-like | In the form of a strap or ribbon. | |
Tadpole | Having the body form of a tadpole i.e. consisting of a round head with a tail. | |
Turbinate | Whorled (Brusca, 1980). | |
Whip-like | Long and thin like a whip. |
References