Phoronis

noun

Pho·​ro·​nis

fəˈrōnə̇s

: a genus of small marine tubicolous unsegmented wormlike animals that have the mouth, anal opening, and nephridial apertures at one end of the body close together and surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped lophophore bearing numerous tentacles, a closed system of blood vessels containing red blood, and free-swimming larvae which pass through a complex metamorphosis see actinotrocha, phoronidea

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, probably from Latin Phoronis (Io, mythical priestess of Argos who was loved by Zeus)

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