Marmota caligata
- noun
- /mɑrˈmoʊtə kəˈlɪɡəˌtɑ/
- Specialized
:
marmota caligata
- Unlike other marmots, the Marmota caligata lives at higher elevations and is well-adapted to cold.
Examples
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The distinctive whistle of the Marmota caligata often warns its colony of approaching predators.
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During our hike in the Rockies, we spotted a Marmota caligata sunning itself on a boulder.
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The Marmota caligata is often found in alpine meadows.
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Have you seen a Marmota caligata in the wild?
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During our hike in the Rockies, we spotted a Marmota caligata sunning itself on a boulder.
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The distinctive whistle of the Marmota caligata often warns its colony of approaching predators.
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Unlike other marmots, the Marmota caligata lives at higher elevations and is well-adapted to cold.
Synonyms
1
8.1
A large ground squirrel that lives in mountains and makes a sharp high alarm call
A large North American ground squirrel with silvery gray fur that lives in mountains
A large ground squirrel that lives in mountains and makes a loud high whistle
Surface Forms
Morphology
Marmota + caligata
This is a Latin binomial (scientific species name) rather than a compositional English phrase. While the first element 'Marmota' signals a marmot genus, the specific epithet 'caligata' is not a common English word and does not transparently contribute an English-derivable meaning, so a B1 learner cannot infer the species meaning from the parts.
Etymology
Marmota caligata may come from old words: Marmota for the animal and caligata meaning 'wearing boots' or 'cloaked'. Picture a large marmot with a thick, pale coat like a small animal wearing a frosty cloak on mountain rocks, and that image helps explain why the name fits this marmot that lives high in cold mountains.