acontia

English

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] New Latin, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek ἀκόντιον (akóntion, “little dart”)

Noun

acontia (plural acontias)

1. (zoology) Threadlike defensive organs, composed largely of nettling cells (cnidae), thrown out of the mouth or special pores of certain Actiniae when irritated.