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Glite Dictionary
Lutra canadensis

Lutra canadensis

8.0
A North American otter that lives in rivers and lakes and is often found in groups
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : nutria de río
  • The Lutra canadensis is known for its playful behavior and graceful swimming abilities.

Examples

  • Researchers tracked the movements of Lutra canadensis populations along the river.

  • The Lutra canadensis is often spotted playing in the water of North American lakes.

  • Environmental changes have affected the habitat of Lutra canadensis in recent decades.

  • The Lutra canadensis is known for its playful behavior.

  • Did you know that Lutra canadensis can hold its breath for up to eight minutes?

  • Conservation efforts are crucial for the survival of Lutra canadensis in their natural habitats.

  • Wildlife enthusiasts love to observe Lutra canadensis during their swimming activities in rivers.

Synonyms

river otter
vsLutra canadensis
  • US
1 2.5

A small furry animal that lives by rivers and swims and plays

is the formal scientific name used in taxonomy for the same species

Surface Forms

Lutra canadensis singular
Lutra canadensises plural

Morphology

Lutra + canadensis

This is a Linnaean binomial composed of a genus name ('Lutra' = otters) and a geographic species epithet ('canadensis' = from Canada), so the overall meaning (the otter species from Canada/North America) is directly derivable from the parts. Taxonomic naming is a regular compositional pattern and would be understandable to a learner who already knows the constituent meanings.

Etymology

Lutra canadensis is a scientific name that gives a simple picture: Lutra is the Latin word for 'otter' and canadensis means 'from Canada' or 'Canadian'. So the name literally says 'otter from Canada', which explains why it refers to the North American river otter.