Ostracoda

plural noun

Os·​tra·​co·​da

ˌästrəˈkōdə,

äˈstrakədə

: a subclass of crustacea comprising small active mostly freshwater forms having the body enclosed in a bivalve shell composed of right and left valves, the body segmentation obscured, the abdomen rudimentary, and only seven pairs of appendages

ostracodan

-dᵊn

adjective

ostracodous

-dəs

adjective

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek ostrakōdēs testaceous, from ostrakon potsherd, shell

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