plural noun
ZoologyAn order of mammals that comprises the edentates.
Also called Edentata‘Let's turn to what is known about the anatomy of the feeding apparatus in Xenarthra and Pholidota.’- ‘Unfortunately, information on the condition of feeding apparatus muscles in ant-eating taxa outside the Xenarthra and Pholidota is incomplete.’
- ‘Our results show the existence of four primary lineages of placental mammals: Xenarthra, Afrotheria, Laurasiatheria, and Euarchontoglires.’
- ‘Other members of the Xenarthra may or may not also be included.’
- ‘Particularly, we focused on the whole spectrum of mice actually used in biomedical research, on the Xenarthra and the Chiroptera.’
Origin
Modern Latin (plural), from xeno-‘strange’ + Greek arthron ‘joint’ (because of the peculiar accessory articulations in the vertebrae).
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