Babesiidae

9.9

A group of single-celled parasites that live in animals' red blood cells, often cattle, and can cause disease

noun
/bəˈbiːziˌaɪdiː/

Specialized

: Babesiidae

Researchers are developing new vaccines to protect animals from diseases caused by Babesiidae parasites.

Examples

Cattle infected with Babesiidae can suffer from severe illness.
Veterinarians are concerned about the spread of Babesiidae in local cattle herds.
Infection by members of the Babesiidae family can lead to serious health problems in livestock.
The Babesiidae family includes various protozoan parasites.
Infection by members of the Babesiidae family can lead to serious health problems in livestock.
Veterinarians are concerned about the spread of Babesiidae in local cattle herds.
Researchers are developing new vaccines to protect animals from diseases caused by Babesiidae parasites.

Surface Forms

Babesiidae singular

Babesiidaes plural

Morphology

Babesiidae = Babesia (opaque) = Babesia + idae

Formed from the genus name plus the specialized taxonomic suffix '-idae'; this suffix is not productive or familiar to average learners, so the meaning 'family of organisms' is not transparently derivable.

Etymology

Babesiidae comes from the genus name Babesia, which was named after the Romanian doctor Victor Babeș, and the ending -idae means 'family' in biology. So Babesiidae is the 'family' of parasites named after Babeș, which explains why the word refers to a group of tiny organisms that infect red blood cells.