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gastropod Definition

gas·tro·pod (gas′trō päd′)

noun

any of a large class (Gastropoda) of mollusks having one-piece, straight or spiral shells, as snails, limpets, etc., or having no shells or greatly reduced shells, as certain slugs: most gastropods move by means of a broad, muscular, ventral foot

Etymology: < ModL Gastropoda < gastro- + -pod

gastropod Related Forms
gas·trop′o·dan (gas träp′ə dən) adjective or gas·trop′o·dous-dəs
gastropod Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • include: Other fossils include numerous gastropods and bivalves, particularly small colonies of oysters.

Adjective modifier

  • marine: These truly marine gastropods usually have a reduced shell, often within the body, or have it missing completely.
  • large: This large gastropod has only been recorded in British seas on a few occasions.
  • small: A Gray Topshell ( a usually abundant small gastropod ) on an Oyster was unusual for this beach.
  • other: The numbers and sizes of limpets and other grazing gastropods were determined by measurements and counts from the digital images.
  • tiny: Desmoulin's Whorl Snail is a tiny gastropod that lives in swampy grasslands.
  • abundant: A Gray Topshell ( a usually abundant small gastropod ) on an Oyster was unusual for this beach.

Modifies a noun

  • mollusk: All rocky shores around the British coast are occupied by numerous marine snails, called gastropod mollusks.
  • shell: Gastropod shells are of special interest due to the often elegant internal spiral structure of their shells.