Heterostracan

/ˌhɛtərəˈstreɪkən/ noun

Definition

A member of the extinct class Heterostraca; an early fish with bony armor made of different plate types.

Etymology

From 'heterostraca' + '-an' (individual member suffix). Singular form referring to a single member of this extinct fish class.

Kelly Says

Each heterostracan was a living patchwork quilt—their armor was made of bone plates of different shapes and thicknesses, giving them a weird, asymmetrical look!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.