gastropod

Thân thiện

A gastropod slowly moves across a wet rock in a tide pool.

Definition

Noun: A type of mollusk, a soft-bodied invertebrate animal, characterized by having a single, often coiled shell (in many species) and a large, flat, muscular foot used for locomotion. The head typically has one or two pairs of tentacles, often with eyes at the tips.

Usage

The word "gastropod" is a scientific term used primarily in biology, zoology, and related fields to classify and describe a large and diverse class of animals. It is used in both general and technical contexts.

Examples

• Snails and slugs are common examples of gastropods.
• The marine biologist studied the diversity of gastropod species on the coral reef.
• This fossil is the coiled shell of an ancient gastropod.

Advanced Usage

• As a modifier: The term is often used adjectivally to describe characteristics related to this class.
  • The researcher examined the gastropod fauna of the estuary.
  • It is a typical gastropod shell morphology.

Variants and Related Words

• Univalve (noun): An older, less specific term for a gastropod, referring to its single (uni-) shell (valve).
• Gasteropod (noun): An alternative spelling, now less common.
• Gastropoda (noun): The scientific name for the class to which all gastropods belong.

Synonyms

• Snail (though this specifically refers to gastropods with a shell, not all gastropods like slugs).
• Univalve (as mentioned above).

Different Meanings

The word "gastropod" has a single, specific zoological meaning and is not used with different meanings in common language.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs using the word "gastropod."

Học thuật

Noun

1. a class of mollusks typically having a one-piece coiled shell and flattened muscular foot with a head bearing stalked eyes

Từ đồng nghĩa

• univalve