# acanthopod

CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/acanthopod
Updated: 2026-05-26

## Definition

a type of ancient sea creature with a hard shell and many legs. It lived in the ocean millions of years ago and is known from fossils.

For teachers: a member of the extinct group of arthropods characterized by a segmented body, a hard exoskeleton, and numerous pairs of legs. Often used in paleontological contexts to describe early trilobite-like forms.

## Examples

- The fossil of an acanthopod was found in the limestone.
- Paleontologists studied the acanthopod remains to understand the evolution of early marine arthropods during the Cambrian period.
- The discovery of the acanthopod in the Burgess Shale provided critical evidence for the rapid diversification of complex life forms during the Cambrian explosion.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.