1. A small crustacean with leaf-like appendages used for swimming and feeding, belonging to the class Branchiopoda.
Usage: zoology; often used in plural form

Examples

• Phyllopods are commonly found in freshwater ponds and temporary pools.
• The brine shrimp is a well-known example of a phyllopod.
• Phyllopods use their leaf-shaped limbs to filter food from the water.
• Many phyllopods can survive in harsh environments with low oxygen levels.
• Scientists study phyllopods to understand early crustacean evolution.