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orthonectid
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Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters
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orthonectid

animal
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Also known as: Orthonectida
Written and fact-checked by
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Related Topics:
mesozoan
invertebrate
Eumetazoa

orthonectid, any of a class (Orthonectida) of rare wormlike parasites of various marine invertebrates, including bivalved mollusks and polychaete annelids; they are usually included in the phylum Mesozoa, a group regarded as intermediate between protozoans (single-celled animals) and metazoans (multicellular animals) in organization. See mesozoan.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
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