Defn: A group of Lacertilia having the tongue forked, including the common lizards. [Written also Fissilingues.]
FISSILITY
Fis*sil"i*ty, n.
Defn: Quality of being fissile.
FISSION
Fis"sion, n. Etym: [L. fissio. See Fissure.]
1. A cleaving, splitting, or breaking up into parts.
2. (Biol.)
Defn: A method of asexual reproduction among the lowest (unicellular) organisms by means of a process of self-division, consisting of gradual division or cleavage of the into two parts, each of which then becomes a separate and independent organisms; as when a cell in an animal or plant, or its germ, undergoes a spontaneous division, and the parts again subdivide. See Segmentation, and Cell division, under Division.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A process by which certain coral polyps, echinoderms, annelids, etc., spontaneously subdivide, each individual thus forming two or more new ones. See Strobilation.
FISSIPALMATE Fis`si*pal"mate, a. Etym: [L. fissus (p.p. of findere to split) + palma palm.] (Zoöl.)