Fulica atra
- noun
- Specialized
:
Fulica atra
- Researchers observed several Fulica atra building nests near the riverbank.
Examples
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The lake was dotted with pairs of Fulica atra among the reeds.
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As winter approaches, flocks of Fulica atra gather on inland waters.
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The Fulica atra is often seen in lakes.
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Have you spotted a Fulica atra recently?
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As winter approaches, flocks of Fulica atra gather on inland waters.
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The lake was dotted with pairs of Fulica atra among the reeds.
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Researchers observed several Fulica atra building nests near the riverbank.
Synonyms
A water bird found in Europe and Asia with a white bill and a white patch on its forehead
Surface Forms
Morphology
Fulica + atra
The form is taxonomic (genus + specific epithet), so knowing 'Fulica' (a genus of coots) and a literal meaning for 'atra' (Latin for 'black') would allow a learner to infer this is a particular (black) species of Fulica. However, specific epithets are Latin and not part of everyday vocabulary, and the input shows 'atra' is not attested in the learner dictionary, so the meaning is only partially predictable without background in taxonomy or Latin. Cross-linguistically binomial names follow the same pattern, which aids inference, but this still requires specialised knowledge.
Etymology
Fulica atra is a scientific name from Latin. Fulica was the Latin word for 'coot' and atra means 'black', so the name literally says 'black coot' and matches the bird's dark feathers.
