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Glite Dictionary
Maja squinado

Maja squinado

9.9
A large crab with a spiny shell and long legs found in the Mediterranean Sea and nearby Atlantic waters
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Maja squinado
  • The Maja squinado can be recognized by its spiny carapace and long legs.

Examples

  • The Maja squinado is often sought after by Mediterranean fishermen for its meat.

  • Divers spotted several Maja squinado on the rocky seabed off the coast of Portugal.

  • The Maja squinado is often called the spiny spider crab.

  • Have you ever seen a Maja squinado in the wild?

  • Divers spotted several Maja squinado on the rocky seabed off the coast of Portugal.

  • The Maja squinado can be recognized by its spiny carapace and long legs.

  • The Maja squinado is often sought after by Mediterranean fishermen for its meat.

Synonyms

European spider crab
vsMaja squinado
  • UK
6.8

A large crab with long legs and a spiny shell that lives in European coastal waters

is the scientific name used for that same species

Surface Forms

Maja squinado singular
Maja squinados plural

Morphology

Maja + squinado

This is a Latin binomial (taxonomic) name: 'Maja' is a genus label and 'squinado' is not a recognizable English word, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would not be able to derive the meaning 'spiny spider crab'. Species names function as arbitrary labels rather than compositional phrases, making the meaning unpredictable from the constituents.

Etymology

Maja squinado may come from old fishermen's words that describe its look: Maja as a name and squinado meaning something like 'spiky'. The image of a large crab with a spiky shell and long, spider-like legs helps you remember that Maja squinado is a big 'spider crab' found in the Mediterranean and nearby Atlantic seas.