Hylobates lar
- noun
- Specialized
- The Hylobates lar is commonly seen swinging through the canopies of Southeast Asian forests.
Examples
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The Hylobates lar, known as the white-handed gibbon, is famous for its long arms and swinging skills.
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Unlike many other primates, the Hylobates lar forms lifelong monogamous pairs.
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Researchers studied the vocalizations of the Hylobates lar to understand their social behavior.
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The Hylobates lar is known for its acrobatic abilities.
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Did you know that the Hylobates lar has long arms?
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In the dense jungles of Southeast Asia, the Hylobates lar can often be heard calling to its mate.
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Conservation efforts are crucial for the Hylobates lar as its habitat continues to be threatened.
Synonyms
A small ape with no tail and very long arms that lives in Asian forests
Surface Forms
Morphology
Hylobates + lar
This is a scientific binomial name functioning as a taxonomic label rather than a compositional English phrase. Even if a learner knows that Hylobates refers to gibbons, the specific epithet 'lar' is not a common English word and provides no transparent lexical cue to the species' properties, so the overall meaning cannot be derived from the parts.
Etymology
Hylobates lar comes from old words that mean 'forest walker'; Hylobates points to the forest and walking, and lar likely comes from a local name for the animal. So picture a long-armed gibbon moving through the trees with white hands, and that clear image explains why the name refers to the 'white-handed gibbon' species.