parapodium

American  

[par-uh-poh-dee-uhm] / ˌpær əˈpoʊ di əm /

noun

Zoology.

plural

parapodia

1. one of the unjointed rudimentary limbs or processes of locomotion of many worms, as annelids.

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parapodium British  

/ ˌpærəˈpəʊdɪəm /

noun

1. any of the paired unjointed lateral appendages of polychaete worms, used in locomotion, respiration, etc

2. any of various similar appendages of other invertebrates, esp certain molluscs

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Other Word Forms

• parapodial adjective

Etymology

Origin of parapodium

First recorded in 1875–80; para- ¹ + -podium

Example Sentences

The ancestral stock was pantognathobasic—i.e. had a gnathobase or jaw process on every parapodium.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 6 "Armour Plates" to "Arundel, Earls of" by Various

It is probable also, as already mentioned, that the leaf-like appendages of the Phyllopoda are of a primitive type, and attempts have been made to refer their structure to that of the Annelid parapodium.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 7 "Crocoite" to "Cuba" by Various

The dorsal surface of the kidney extends to the left beyond the shell-chamber beneath the skin in the space between the shell-chamber and the left parapodium.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 5 "Gassendi, Pierre" to "Geocentric" by Various

The notopodium may be rudimentary or absent and the entire parapodium reduced to the merest ridge or even completely unrepresented.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 7 "Cerargyrite" to "Charing Cross" by Various

The parapodium is represented with its neural or ventral surface uppermost.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 6 "Armour Plates" to "Arundel, Earls of" by Various