arthropleura
|ar-thro-pleu-ra|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑrθroʊˈplʊrə/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːθrəˈplʊərə/
giant jointed-sided arthropod
Etymology
'arthropleura' originates from New Latin, specifically from Greek roots: 'arthron' meaning 'joint' and 'pleura' meaning 'rib' or 'side'.
'arthropleura' was coined in modern taxonomic usage (New Latin) in the 19th century by combining Greek elements 'arthron' + 'pleura' to name the fossil genus; it entered scientific English as the genus name 'arthropleura'.
Initially coined as a formal genus name for these fossil arthropods, it has retained that taxonomic meaning and is used to refer to the genus and its members (and sometimes informally to the animals themselves).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an extinct genus of large, millipede-like arthropods (arthropleurids) from the Carboniferous period, known from fossilized exoskeletons and sometimes exceeding 2 meters in length.
Fossil remains of arthropleura indicate it could reach lengths of over 2 meters.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/23 05:29