1. A large class of mollusks that typically have a muscular foot for movement and a shell (often spiral), including snails and slugs.
Usage: plural form of gastropod; scientific/biological term

Examples

• Gastropods are found in nearly every habitat on Earth, from oceans to deserts.
• The museum's collection includes fossils of ancient gastropods dating back millions of years.
• Garden gastropods like snails and slugs can damage plants.
• Marine gastropods have adapted to survive in extreme deep-sea environments.
• Biologists study gastropods to understand mollusk evolution.
• Some gastropods are herbivores, while others are carnivorous predators.