diff --git a/skimage/draw/draw3d.py b/skimage/draw/draw3d.py
index 0b6fcb2d..a69471d5 100644
--- a/skimage/draw/draw3d.py
+++ b/skimage/draw/draw3d.py
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ import numpy as np
 from scipy.special import (ellipkinc as ellip_F, ellipeinc as ellip_E)
 
 
-def ellipsoid(a, b, c, sampling=(1., 1., 1.), levelset=False):
+def ellipsoid(a, b, c, spacing=(1., 1., 1.), levelset=False):
     """
     Generates ellipsoid with semimajor axes aligned with grid dimensions
-    on grid with specified `sampling`.
+    on grid with specified `spacing`.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ def ellipsoid(a, b, c, sampling=(1., 1., 1.), levelset=False):
         Length of semimajor axis aligned with y-axis.
     c : float
         Length of semimajor axis aligned with z-axis.
-    sampling : tuple of floats, length 3
-        Sampling in (x, y, z) spatial dimensions.
+    spacing : tuple of floats, length 3
+        spacing in (x, y, z) spatial dimensions.
     levelset : bool
         If True, returns the level set for this ellipsoid (signed level
         set about zero, with positive denoting interior) as np.float64.
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def ellipsoid(a, b, c, sampling=(1., 1., 1.), levelset=False):
     Returns
     -------
     ellip : (N, M, P) array
-        Ellipsoid centered in a correctly sized array for given `sampling`.
+        Ellipsoid centered in a correctly sized array for given `spacing`.
         Boolean dtype unless `levelset=True`, in which case a float array is
         returned with the level set above 0.0 representing the ellipsoid.
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def ellipsoid(a, b, c, sampling=(1., 1., 1.), levelset=False):
     if (a <= 0) or (b <= 0) or (c <= 0):
         raise ValueError('Parameters a, b, and c must all be > 0')
 
-    offset = np.r_[1, 1, 1] * np.r_[sampling]
+    offset = np.r_[1, 1, 1] * np.r_[spacing]
 
     # Calculate limits, and ensure output volume is odd & symmetric
     low = np.ceil((- np.r_[a, b, c] - offset))
@@ -43,14 +43,14 @@ def ellipsoid(a, b, c, sampling=(1., 1., 1.), levelset=False):
     for dim in range(3):
         if (high[dim] - low[dim]) % 2 == 0:
             low[dim] -= 1
-        num = np.arange(low[dim], high[dim], sampling[dim])
+        num = np.arange(low[dim], high[dim], spacing[dim])
         if 0 not in num:
             low[dim] -= np.max(num[num < 0])
 
     # Generate (anisotropic) spatial grid
-    x, y, z = np.mgrid[low[0]:high[0]:sampling[0],
-                       low[1]:high[1]:sampling[1],
-                       low[2]:high[2]:sampling[2]]
+    x, y, z = np.mgrid[low[0]:high[0]:spacing[0],
+                       low[1]:high[1]:spacing[1],
+                       low[2]:high[2]:spacing[2]]
 
     if not levelset:
         arr = ((x / float(a)) ** 2 +
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ def ellipsoid(a, b, c, sampling=(1., 1., 1.), levelset=False):
     return arr
 
 
-def ellipsoid_stats(a, b, c, sampling=(1., 1., 1.)):
+def ellipsoid_stats(a, b, c):
     """
     Calculates analytical surface area and volume for ellipsoid with
-    semimajor axes aligned with grid dimensions of specified `sampling`.
+    semimajor axes aligned with grid dimensions of specified `spacing`.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
@@ -77,8 +77,6 @@ def ellipsoid_stats(a, b, c, sampling=(1., 1., 1.)):
         Length of semimajor axis aligned with y-axis.
     c : float
         Length of semimajor axis aligned with z-axis.
-    sampling : tuple of floats, length 3
-        Sampling in (x, y, z) spatial dimensions.
 
     Returns
     -------
diff --git a/skimage/draw/tests/test_draw3d.py b/skimage/draw/tests/test_draw3d.py
index 59a7f6b3..2e1198eb 100644
--- a/skimage/draw/tests/test_draw3d.py
+++ b/skimage/draw/tests/test_draw3d.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from skimage.draw import ellipsoid, ellipsoid_stats
 
 def test_ellipsoid_bool():
     test = ellipsoid(2, 2, 2)[1:-1, 1:-1, 1:-1]
-    test_anisotropic = ellipsoid(2, 2, 4, sampling=(1., 1., 2.))
+    test_anisotropic = ellipsoid(2, 2, 4, spacing=(1., 1., 2.))
     test_anisotropic = test_anisotropic[1:-1, 1:-1, 1:-1]
 
     expected = np.array([[[0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def test_ellipsoid_bool():
 
 def test_ellipsoid_levelset():
     test = ellipsoid(2, 2, 2, levelset=True)[1:-1, 1:-1, 1:-1]
-    test_anisotropic = ellipsoid(2, 2, 4, sampling=(1., 1., 2.),
+    test_anisotropic = ellipsoid(2, 2, 4, spacing=(1., 1., 2.),
                                  levelset=True)
     test_anisotropic = test_anisotropic[1:-1, 1:-1, 1:-1]
 
diff --git a/skimage/measure/tests/test_marching_cubes.py b/skimage/measure/tests/test_marching_cubes.py
index 20689d44..b3c2ddc1 100644
--- a/skimage/measure/tests/test_marching_cubes.py
+++ b/skimage/measure/tests/test_marching_cubes.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def test_marching_cubes_anisotropic():
     spacing = (1., 10 / 6., 16 / 6.)
     ellipsoid_anisotropic = ellipsoid(6, 10, 16, spacing=spacing,
                                       levelset=True)
-    _, surf = ellipsoid_stats(6, 10, 16, spacing=spacing)
+    _, surf = ellipsoid_stats(6, 10, 16)
     verts, faces = marching_cubes(ellipsoid_anisotropic, 0.,
                                   spacing=spacing)
     surf_calc = mesh_surface_area(verts, faces)