heterobranchiate
|het-er-o-branch-i-ate|
/ˌhɛtərəˈbræŋkiˌeɪt/
different gills / Heterobranchia-related
Etymology
'heterobranchiate' originates from Greek elements, specifically 'hetero-' and 'branchia', where 'hetero-' meant 'different' and 'branchia' meant 'gills'.
'heterobranchiate' developed from the taxonomic name New Latin 'Heterobranchia' (coined for a group of gastropods) and was adapted into English scientific usage as 'heterobranchiate' to form adjectives and nouns referring to that group.
Initially it literally meant 'having different gills', but over time it evolved into the specialized zoological meaning 'relating to or a member of the clade Heterobranchia'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a member of the Heterobranchia; a gastropod belonging to that clade (e.g., certain sea slugs and snails).
The specimen was identified as a heterobranchiate rather than a prosobranch.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to cause to become characteristic of or to assign to Heterobranchia (rare; mainly used in specialized or technical contexts).
Some taxonomists heterobranchiate species based on anatomical features of the gill and nervous system.
Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of the clade Heterobranchia (a major group of gastropod mollusks).
Many heterobranchiate species have reduced or internal shells compared with other gastropods.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/05 09:53