pteropod

[ ter-uh-pod ]

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the Pteropoda, a group of mollusks having the lateral portions of the foot expanded into winglike lobes used in swimming.

noun

1. a pteropod mollusk.

pteropod

/ ˈtɛrəˌpɒd /

noun

1. any small marine gastropod mollusc of the group or order Pteropoda, in which the foot is expanded into two winglike lobes for swimming and the shell is absent or thin-walled Also calledsea butterfly

Word History and Origins

Origin of pteropod¹

1825–35; < New Latin Pteropoda (plural); ptero-, -pod

Example Sentences

Up to 74% of Hyperiella dilitata swimming around there sported a pteropod safety pack.

From Scientific American

And, luckily for both parties, the pteropod’s pteroenone production is not based on its diet, so starvation doesn’t necessarily impair its ability to deter fish.

From Scientific American

"A survival pack for escaping predation in the open ocean: amphipod–pteropod associations in the Southern Ocean."

From Scientific American

Here's some video of an amphipod styling with its much-smaller pteropod in tow:

From Scientific American

The amphipods carrying pteropods were also found at stations where amphipod abundance was much lower than other stations, which suggests that pteropod abduction might be a response to intense predation pressure.

From Scientific American