pleopod

English

Alternative forms

• pleiopod, pleiopus, pleopus

Etymology

From pleon (“the abdomen of a crustacean”) +‎ -pod (“foot”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpliːəˌpɒd/

Noun

pleopod (plural pleopods or pleopoda)

1. (zoology) One of the abdominal legs of a crustacean.

   Coordinate term: uropod

   In decapods such as lobsters, pleopods are legs mainly used for swimming but sometimes used for brooding eggs or catching food. In some species certain pleopods of an animal may have been adapted to special functions such as reproduction.

Derived terms

• pleopodal