Antheraea polyphemus
- noun
- Specialized
:
Antheraea polyphemus
- Many gardeners appreciate the beauty of the adult Antheraea polyphemus moths, especially their large eyespots.
Examples
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The caterpillar of the Antheraea polyphemus can be found on many backyard trees during summer.
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The Antheraea polyphemus is known for its size.
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He photographed a stunning Antheraea polyphemus resting on the window at dusk.
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Have you ever seen an Antheraea polyphemus?
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Many gardeners appreciate the beauty of the adult Antheraea polyphemus moths, especially their large eyespots.
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He photographed a stunning Antheraea polyphemus resting on the window at dusk.
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The caterpillar of the Antheraea polyphemus can be found on many backyard trees during summer.
Synonyms
A very large yellow-brown moth with eye-like spots on its back wings
A large North American moth with brown wings and big eye spots
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a taxonomic binomial combining the genus name 'Antheraea' and the species epithet 'polyphemus', so the overall meaning — a particular moth species — is directly derived from the constituent names. It is a literal, compositional scientific name rather than an idiomatic phrase, so a learner who knows both parts would understand it refers to that moth.
Etymology
Antheraea polyphemus comes from two parts: the genus Antheraea, a group of silk moths, and the species name polyphemus, taken from the one-eyed giant 'Polyphemus' in Greek stories. The moth's very large round eyespots on its wings look like a big 'eye', so the name helps you remember this large moth with eye-like spots.
