A small bird or bird-like creature; also a genus of bivalve mollusks (shellfish) with wing-like shells.
From Latin 'avicula' (literally 'small bird' or 'little bird'), diminutive of 'avis.' The term was applied to wing-shaped shells because their form resembles bird wings.
This beautiful Latin diminutive shows how scientists naming new organisms often drew poetic comparisons—these ancient shellfish shells really do look like tiny wings.
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