shellie en · NOUN
Etymology
From shell + -ie (diminutive suffix).
Meanings
-
(informal) A small or miniature shell.
As you would expect, the first shelled organisms acquired a shell in small steps, forming tiny (less than 1 mm) hard parts nicknamed "little shellies" or "small shellies."
2023, Kate LoMedico Marriott, Alexander Bartholomew, Donald R. Prothero, Evolution of the Ammonoids, page 60:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| shellies | Number=Plur | lexicographic |