Describing a male cephalopod that possesses or produces hectocotyles as part of its reproductive anatomy.
Compound of hectocotyle and the Latin suffix '-ferous' (bearing or carrying), literally meaning 'bearing hectocotyles,' a technical biological term first used in 19th-century zoological classifications.
This word is basically biology's way of saying 'equipped with a specialized sperm-delivery arm'—it's the kind of specific descriptor that shows how scientists create ultra-precise language for nature's weirdest adaptations.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.