| malacopoda | <zoology> A class of air-breathing Arthropoda; called also Protracheata, and Onychophora. They somewhat resemble myriapods, and have from seventeen to thirty-three pairs of short, imperfectly jointed legs, two pairs of simple jaws, and a pair of antennae. The trancheae are connected with numerous spiracles scattered over the surface of the body. Peripatus is the only known genus. See Peripatus. Origin: NL, fr. Gr. Soft + -poda. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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