uropod

1 9.9

A pair of tail parts at the back of shrimp and lobster that help them swim and steer

noun
/ˈjʊrəˌpɒd/

Specialized

: uropodo

Examples

In 1948, the uropod punch was replaced by the V-notch (Miller, 1995).

Academic text (1999)
From 1917, ovigerous females could be sold only to the state, which marked them with a hole punched into their uropod and then released them back into local waters as property of the state (Miller, 1995).

Academic text (1999)
This hatchery continued operations until 1918 when the state passed a regulation that required officials to purchase egg-bearing females from lobstermen and mark them with three eyelet holes through their uropods.

Academic text (1999)
The uropod helps the shrimp steer while swimming through the water.
In crustaceans, the uropod is crucial for maneuverability during swimming.
During its swim, the crab adjusted its uropod to navigate around obstacles.

Surface Forms

uropod singular

uropods plural

Morphology

uropod = uro + pod

The parts are Greek combining forms ('uro-' = tail, '-pod' = foot) that are not productive standalone English words for most learners, so the meaning cannot be derived by a typical B1 learner from familiar English bases.

Etymology

The word uropod comes from the Greek words oura meaning 'tail' and pod meaning 'foot', as in tripod ('three-foot'). So a uropod is like a 'tail-foot', a pair of small tail parts that help animals like shrimp and lobsters swim and steer.