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Glite Dictionary
Hyperodontidae

Hyperodontidae

9.9
A family of whales with long noses that dive deep in the ocean
  • noun
  • /ˌhaɪpəroʊˈdɒntɪdi/
  • Specialized
: Hiperdontidae
  • The Hyperodontidae are a family of deep-diving beaked whales.

Examples

  • The Hyperodontidae family includes several species of beaked whales.

  • Scientists debated whether Hyperodontidae should remain distinct from Physeteridae.

  • Recent research has clarified the evolutionary relationship of Hyperodontidae to other toothed whales.

  • Many researchers study the Hyperodontidae to understand their behavior.

  • The Hyperodontidae family includes various deep-sea beaked whales known for their unique beak-like snouts.

  • Recent studies have shown that the Hyperodontidae exhibit distinct social behaviors among marine mammals.

  • Researchers identified several species within the Hyperodontidae, highlighting their importance in marine ecosystems.

Synonyms

family Ziphiidae
vsHyperodontidae
  • Specialized
9.4

A group of ocean mammals called beaked whales that dive very deep

focuses on past placement within the sperm whale family
Ziphiidae
vsHyperodontidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A family of whales with long beaks that dive very deep

emphasizes its earlier classification with sperm whales rather than features

Surface Forms

Hyperodontidae singular
Hyperodontidaes plural
Hyperodontids plural

Morphology

Hyperodontidae = hyper + odont + idae

This is a Latinized scientific family name built from classical elements, but its whale-family meaning is not recoverable for an average learner from hyper- + odont- + -idae.

Etymology

Hyperodontidae comes from Greek parts hyper- meaning 'over', odont- meaning 'tooth', and -idae meaning 'family'. A helpful way to remember it is that the name points to an animal family 'with extra or large teeth', which is why it is used for this family of beaked whales.