Tetrapod (Noun)
Meaning
A vertebrate animal having four feet or legs or leglike appendages.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The early tetrapods are thought to have evolved from fish-like ancestors during the Devonian period.
- The discovery of the fossilized remains of Tiktaalik, a 375-million-year-old tetrapod, provided important insights into the evolution of limbed animals.
- All vertebrates with four legs, including humans, birds, and whales, are classified as tetrapods.
- The transition from fish to tetrapod was likely a gradual process that occurred over millions of years.
- In the context of paleontology, the term tetrapod is often used to distinguish four-legged vertebrates from their earlier, fish-like ancestors.