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protozoan

(Encyclopedia) protozoanprotozoanprōˌtəzōˈən [key], informal term for the unicellular heterotrophs of the kingdom Protista. Protozoans comprise a large, diverse assortment of microscopic or near-…

spider

(Encyclopedia) spider, organism, mostly terrestrial, of the class Arachnida, order Araneae, with four pairs of legs and a two-part body consisting of a cephalothorax, or prosoma, and an unsegmented…

Spielberg, Steven

(Encyclopedia) Spielberg, Steven, 1946–, American film director, b. Cincinnati, Ohio. Spielberg began his career as a television director, admired for his understanding portrayal of human character.…

rat

(Encyclopedia) rat, name applied to various stout-bodied rodents, usually having a pointed muzzle, long slender tail, and dexterous forepaws. It refers particularly to the two species of house rat,…

Gaucher's disease

(Encyclopedia) Gaucher's diseaseGaucher's diseasegōshāzˈ [key], rare genetic disease involving a deficiency of an enzyme, glucocerebrosidase, which normally breaks down certain body glycolipids (i.e…

Hemichordata

(Encyclopedia) CE5 Dorsal view of an acorn worm, Saccoglossus, representative of the phylum Hemichordata HemichordataHemichordatahĕmĭkôrˌdāˈtə [key], small phylum of marine invertebrates closely…

hyrax

(Encyclopedia) hyraxhyraxhīˈrăks [key], name for rabbit-sized mammals of Africa and SW Asia comprising the family Procavidae. Although rodentlike in appearance, hyraxes are hoofed mammals, or…

musk ox

(Encyclopedia) musk ox, hoofed ruminant mammal, Ovibos moschatus, found in arctic North America and Greenland. The northernmost member of the cattle family (though it is not closely related to true…

Montand, Yves

(Encyclopedia) Montand, YvesMontand, Yvesēv môNtäNˈ [key], 1921–1991, French singer and actor, b. Italy as Ivo Livi. His family settled in Marseille when he was an infant. He quit school at 11, held…

Caesar, Sid

(Encyclopedia) Caesar, Sid (Isaac Sidney Caesar), 1922–2014, American comedian, one of the stars of the “golden age of live television,” b. Yonkers, N.Y. While performing in a World War II military…