coccosphere

See also: coccosphère

English

Etymology

Ancient Greek κόκκος (kókkos, “a grain, seed”) + -sphere.

Noun

coccosphere (plural coccospheres)

1. (biology) A small rounded marine organism, capable of breaking up into coccoliths.
   • 2013, Hans R. Thierstein, Jeremy R. Young, Coccolithophores: From Molecular Processes to Global Impact, page 303:

     Knappertsbusch et al. (1997) redefined the C. leptoporus morphotype concept of Knappertsbusch (1990) by measureing the coccosphere diameter and mean coccolith diameter of an additional 63 coccospheres.