meiofauna: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Academic, Technical
Quick answer
What does “meiofauna” mean?
The community of small, often microscopic, invertebrate animals living in aquatic sediments, especially between sand grains.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The community of small, often microscopic, invertebrate animals living in aquatic sediments, especially between sand grains.
Any assemblage of very small benthic invertebrates, typically defined by their size (generally between 0.062 mm and 0.5 mm), which play a crucial ecological role in nutrient cycling and sediment structure. The term can also be loosely applied to tiny fauna in analogous interstitial habitats.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage or definition. The spelling is identical. The scientific communities use the term identically.
Connotations
Purely technical and scientific in both varieties.
Frequency
The term is equally rare in both varieties, confined almost exclusively to technical biological and ecological literature.
Grammar
How to Use “meiofauna” in a Sentence
The [sediment/beach] supports a diverse meiofauna.Meiofauna [verb: inhabit/colonise/dominate] the interstitial spaces.Researchers [verb: sampled/studied/quantified] the meiofauna.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “meiofauna” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The meiofaunal community was surprisingly diverse.
- We conducted a meiofaunal analysis of the core samples.
American English
- The meiofaunal composition changed with sediment depth.
- Meiofaunal organisms were extracted using a Ludox solution.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Used in marine biology, ecology, and environmental science papers, theses, and lectures.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
The primary context. Found in research methodologies, ecological surveys, and taxonomic studies.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “meiofauna”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “meiofauna”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “meiofauna”
- Mispronouncing 'meio-' as 'my-oh' instead of 'may-oh'.
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a meiofauna'); it is typically a collective uncountable/mass noun.
- Confusing it with 'microfauna'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While both are small, microfauna typically refers to unicellular organisms like protozoans. Meiofauna are multicellular invertebrates within a specific size range (e.g., small worms, crustaceans).
You would only encounter it in highly specialised scientific contexts, such as academic journals, university textbooks, or research reports in marine biology, limnology, or sediment ecology.
The word 'meiofauna' is typically used as a singular collective noun (like 'wildlife'). You would refer to 'the meiofauna is diverse,' not 'the meiofauna are.' However, you can have 'meiofaunal communities' or 'meiofaunal taxa' (plural).
It derives from the Greek 'meio-' (meaning 'less' or 'smaller') and Latin 'fauna' (meaning 'animals'). It was coined in the mid-20th century by marine biologists.
The community of small, often microscopic, invertebrate animals living in aquatic sediments, especially between sand grains.
Meiofauna is usually formal, academic, technical in register.
Meiofauna: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmaɪəʊˈfɔːnə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmaɪoʊˈfɔːnə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a tiny MAYO (meio) jar full of FAUNA (animals) hidden between grains of sand on the ocean floor.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE SEDIMENT IS A CITY: Meiofauna are the hidden inhabitants in the tiny spaces between the buildings (sand grains).
Practice
Quiz
Meiofauna are primarily characterised by their: