Aistopod

/ˈeɪstəpɑd/ noun

Definition

An extinct type of legless amphibian that lived during the Carboniferous period and resembled modern snakes.

Etymology

From Greek 'aisthos' (unclear, possibly uncertain origin) + 'pous' (foot). A paleontological term for a specific class of prehistoric creatures that scientists named to classify fossils.

Kelly Says

Aistopods are a paleontological puzzle—300 million years ago, these snake-like creatures with no legs were slithering around, but we're still not entirely sure exactly how they moved or what they evolved into, making them one of evolution's unsolved mysteries.

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