Ostracoda

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ostracoda \Os*trac"o*da\, prop. n. pl. (Zool.)
     An order of Entomostraca possessing shrimplike bodies
     enclosed in hard bivalve shells; called also {seed shrimp}
     and {mussel shrimp}. They were formerly referred to as
     {Ostracoidea}. They are of small size, and swim freely about;
     many are less than 1 mm in length. Microfossils of certain


     extinct orders have been found extending back to the Cambrian
     age.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ostracoidea \Os`tra*coi"de*a\, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. 'o`strakon
     shell of a testacean + -oid.] (Zool.)
     An order of Entomostraca possessing hard bivalve shells. They
     are of small size, and swim freely about. Now usually written
     {Ostracoda}. [archaic]
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Ostracoda
       n : seed shrimps [syn: {subclass Ostracoda}]