1. Plural of nephrostome; funnel-shaped openings of the excretory tubules in certain invertebrates and lower vertebrates that connect the body cavity to the kidney tubules.
Usage: biology; zoology; technical term

Examples

• The nephrostomes in annelid worms serve as the primary connection between the coelom and the excretory system.
• In larval amphibians, nephrostomes filter waste products from the body cavity into the kidney tubules.
• The structure and number of nephrostomes vary significantly among different invertebrate phyla.
• Biologists examine nephrostomes under a microscope to understand the evolution of kidney systems.
• Each nephrostome is lined with ciliated cells that help move fluid through the excretory pathway.