Ictiobus niger

9.9

A large fish that lives in the lower Mississippi River, often called the black buffalo

noun
/ˈɪk.ti.oʊ.bəs ˈnaɪ.ɡər/

Specialized

: Ictiobus niger

Anglers often refer to Ictiobus niger by its common name, the black buffalo.

Examples

Scientists study Ictiobus niger to understand river ecosystem health.
The Ictiobus niger is an important species for commercial fishing in the lower Mississippi River.
The Ictiobus niger is known for its distinctive shape.
Have you ever seen an Ictiobus niger in the wild?
Anglers often refer to Ictiobus niger by its common name, the black buffalo.
Scientists study Ictiobus niger to understand river ecosystem health.
The Ictiobus niger is an important species for commercial fishing in the lower Mississippi River.

Synonyms

black buffalo

vsIctiobus niger

9.0

A large freshwater fish with a thick body and wide mouth that lives in the lower Mississippi River basin

is the formal Latin species name rather than the everyday name

Surface Forms

Ictiobus niger singular

Ictiobus nigers plural

Morphology

Ictiobus + niger

This is a Linnaean binomial: the first element names the genus (Ictiobus, a freshwater fish) and the second is a descriptive Latin adjective (niger = black). If a learner knows both constituents, the species name is transparently compositional as 'the black Ictiobus' (i.e. a black freshwater fish), and scientific naming conventions make this logic predictable across languages.

Etymology

Ictiobus niger gets its name from its common name, the black buffalo. People called it that because the fish is big, dark, and has a heavy body that moves along the river bottom like a buffalo grazing. So the name points to a 'black' animal and helps you remember this fish.