Damaliscus lunatus
- noun
- Specialized
:
damaliscus
- The Damaliscus lunatus is renowned for being one of the fastest hoofed animals in the world.
Examples
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Wildlife documentaries often feature the striking appearance of the Damaliscus lunatus as it runs across the plains.
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Researchers observed a small herd of Damaliscus lunatus grazing in the savanna at dawn.
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The Damaliscus lunatus is known for its incredible speed.
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Have you ever seen a Damaliscus lunatus in the wild?
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Researchers observed a small herd of Damaliscus lunatus grazing in the savanna at dawn.
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The Damaliscus lunatus is renowned for being one of the fastest hoofed animals in the world.
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Wildlife documentaries often feature the striking appearance of the Damaliscus lunatus as it runs across the plains.
Synonyms
A large African animal like a deer with long legs and reddish-brown fur that runs very fast
Surface Forms
Morphology
Damaliscus + lunatus
This is a Latin binomial (scientific species name) used as a taxonomic label rather than a compositional English phrase; knowing the genus name 'Damaliscus' and an unfamiliar Latin element 'lunatus' would not let a B1 learner infer the common-language meaning 'a large African antelope'. The second element is not a transparent English word (it's Latin and not in the learner's lexicon), and binomial names are used unchanged across languages, so the meaning is not derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
The scientific name Damaliscus lunatus comes from older words: Damaliscus (like 'young cow') and lunatus ('moon-shaped'). One popular story says early scientists used 'moon-shaped' for the animal's curved horns and markings, so the name gives a simple picture of this fast, graceful antelope.
