dactylethra

Noun

dactylethra (plural dactylethrae)

1. One of several hollow fingerlike projections found on some bryozoans, used to absorb nutrients.
   • Erkosonea differs from that genus in the presence of dactylethrae instead of tergospores.1920, Ferdinand Canu, Ray S. Bassler, North American Early Tertiary Bryozoa
   • The dorsal is hardly convex; it is formed by a thick layer of dactylethrae closed by a thin calcareous lamella. The dactylethrae appear on the frontal at the birfurcations.1941, James H. McGuirt, Louisiana Tertiary Bryozoa, page 105
2. A finger sheath
   • Instruments used in Stomatology: Bouglosson (tongue scraper or depressor), dactylethra (finger stall), lithanaboleus (parotid duct stone hauler), stomatodiastoleus (mouth opening instrument), sphenarion (wedge to keep mouth open),2014, D. Michaelides, Medicine and Healing in the Ancient Mediterranean, page 151
   • The egg gauze was carefully collected from the field after 48 h of exposure and maintained within 10 ml glass dactylethrae.2016 February 17, “Influence of Landscape Diversity and Composition on the Parasitism of Cotton Bollworm Eggs in Maize”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI