noun
- plural of celoma; animals that possess a true body cavity (coelom) lined with mesoderm.
Usage: biology; zoology; technical term
Examples
- Celomata include most complex animals such as vertebrates, arthropods, and mollusks.
- The presence of a true coelom distinguishes celomata from simpler organisms.
- In evolutionary biology, celomata represent a major advancement in animal body organization.
- Most celomata have a peritoneum that lines their body cavity.
- Vertebrates are classified as celomata because they possess a true coelom.