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Glite Dictionary
Ambystoma talpoideum

Ambystoma talpoideum

9.9
A small brownish-black salamander that lives underground in the southeastern United States
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Ambystoma talpoideum
  • Unlike some other salamanders, Ambystoma talpoideum spends much of its life underground.

Examples

  • The Ambystoma talpoideum can often be found in woodland ponds during breeding season.

  • The Ambystoma talpoideum is often found in moist, wooded areas.

  • Researchers studied how Ambystoma talpoideum adapts to different wetland environments.

  • Have you ever seen an Ambystoma talpoideum in the wild?

  • The Ambystoma talpoideum is a unique species of salamander known for its burrowing habits.

  • During the rain, you are likely to see the Ambystoma talpoideum emerging from its underground home.

  • Many scientists are fascinated by the Ambystoma talpoideum, which thrives in the wetlands of the southeastern United States.

Synonyms

mole salamander
vsAmbystoma talpoideum
  • US
9.7

A small brownish-black animal like a frog that lives underground and comes out to lay eggs

is the scientific name rather than the common name

Surface Forms

Ambystoma talpoideum singular
Ambystoma talpoideum plural

Morphology

Ambystoma + talpoideum

This is a scientific (Linnaean) binomial: 'Ambystoma' names the salamander genus but the species epithet 'talpoideum' is a non‑lexical Latin form not found in general dictionaries. An average B1 learner who knows the constituent strings would not be able to derive the specific meaning 'small brownish‑black burrowing salamander' from these parts, so the expression is unpredictable and idiomatically specialized.

Etymology

Ambystoma talpoideum comes from old Greek and Latin words: Ambystoma means 'blunt mouth' and talpoideum means 'mole-like', because this small salamander has a rounded head and lives and digs in the ground like a mole. So the name fits its life as a small, burrowing salamander.