gastropod science definition

Word History Snails, conchs, whelks, and many other similar animals with shells are all called gastropods by scientists. The word gastropod comes from Greek and means “stomach foot,” a name that owes its existence to the unusual anatomy of snails. Snails have a broad flat muscular “foot” used for support and for forward movement. This foot runs along the underside of the animal—essentially along its belly. The Greek elements gastro-, “stomach,” and -pod, “foot,” are found in many other scientific names, such as gastritis (an inflammation of the stomach) and sauropod (“lizard foot,” a type of dinosaur).