nephridium

American  

[nuh-frid-ee-uhm] / nəˈfrɪd i əm /

noun

Zoology.

plural

nephridia

1. the excretory organ of many invertebrates, consisting of a tubule with one end opening into the body cavity and the other opening into a pore at the body surface.

---

nephridium British  

/ nɪˈfrɪdɪəm /

noun

1. a simple excretory organ of many invertebrates, consisting of a tube through which waste products pass to the exterior

---

Other Word Forms

• nephridial adjective

Etymology

Origin of nephridium

From New Latin, dating back to 1875–80; see origin at nephr-, -idium

Example Sentences

Beating cilia at the opening of the nephridium draw water from the coelom into a tubule.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The nephridium is connected to the barrier separating the compartments, and consists of a long coil connected to a trumpet-like bell.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The most important fact about them is that they disappear, and are in no way connected with the typical nephridium of the adult.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 5 "Gassendi, Pierre" to "Geocentric" by Various

The typical character is retained by the heart, pericardium, and the communicating nephridium or renal organ in all Opisthobranchs.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 5 "Gassendi, Pierre" to "Geocentric" by Various

This example is similar to cases among the Polychaeta where a true nephridium is provided with a large funnel, coelomostome, according to the nomenclature of Lankester.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 7 "Cerargyrite" to "Charing Cross" by Various