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Glite Dictionary
Indriidae

Indriidae

9.9
A family of lemurs from Madagascar that includes indris and sifakas
  • noun
  • /ɪnˈdriːədeɪ/
  • Specialized
: Indriidae
  • Conservationists have focused efforts on protecting the Indriidae because of habitat loss in Madagascar.

Examples

  • Scientists study the vocalizations of Indriidae to better understand their social structures.

  • The species belonging to the Indriidae family are known for their powerful leaping abilities.

  • The Indriidae family includes some of the largest lemurs.

  • Did you know that Indriidae are only found in Madagascar?

  • The Indriidae family is unique to Madagascar, comprising species like the indri and sifaka.

  • Many conservation programs aim to protect the Indriidae, as their populations are declining rapidly.

  • Researchers have discovered that the Indriidae communicate using distinct calls to maintain group cohesion.

Surface Forms

Indriidae singular
Indriidaes plural
Indriids plural

Morphology

Indriidae = indri (semi-transparent) = indri + idae

Formed from the genus name 'indri' plus the taxonomic suffix '-idae' meaning 'family'; the suffix is specialized scientific vocabulary that many learners will not know.

Etymology

Indriidae comes from the lemur name indri plus the family ending -idae. The name indri likely comes from a Malagasy shout like 'look!' or 'there it is' that people used when they saw the animal, so Indriidae simply means the family of animals related to the indri.