noun
- Plural of ostracode; small crustaceans with a bivalve shell, found in marine and freshwater environments.
Usage: scientific/technical term; also called ostracods
Examples
- Ostracodes are commonly used in paleontology to study ancient aquatic environments.
- The fossil record contains abundant ostracodes from the Paleozoic era.
- Marine ostracodes help scientists understand ocean conditions millions of years ago.
- Researchers collected ostracodes from the lake sediment to analyze water quality changes.
- These tiny ostracodes are less than a millimeter in length but provide valuable geological data.