释义 |
sea squirt noun[ C ] uk /ˈsiː ˌskwɜːt/ us /ˈsiː ˌskwɝːt/ an organism shaped like a bag with holes through which water is sucked in and forced out, found attached to surfaces under the sea: Sea squirts are regarded as pests because they attach themselves to boat hulls and pilings. A marine biology researcher brought a California species of sea squirt with him. Most sea squirts stay fixed in one spot, eating dead plants and microorganisms that they siphon through their bodies. Communities of tiny European sea squirts that probably arrived stuck to the hulls of visiting ships are crowding out native organisms. Researchers are studying a substance excreted by some sea squirt species as a possible treatment for breast cancer. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases Sea creatures abalone amphipod anemone barnacle barrier reef cowrie crab cray crayfish crustacean littleneck clam lobster marron mollusc mussel shipworm shrimp snow crab soft-shell clam squid |