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Glite Dictionary
Neomys fodiens

Neomys fodiens

9.9
A small animal like a mouse that lives in streams and wetlands and eats insects
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Neomys fodiens
  • The Neomys fodiens is easily identified by its fringe of stiff hairs on the edge of its feet.

Examples

  • Scientists monitored the Neomys fodiens population to track wetland ecosystem health.

  • The diet of the Neomys fodiens consists mainly of insects, small fish, and invertebrates found in streams.

  • A Neomys fodiens swims swiftly through the stream in search of insects and small fish.

  • The Neomys fodiens is often found near water.

  • Many researchers study the Neomys fodiens in their natural habitat.

  • The Neomys fodiens can often be spotted foraging along the banks of rivers and wetlands.

  • Because of its unique adaptations, the Neomys fodiens thrives in aquatic environments throughout Europe.

Synonyms

European water shrew
vsNeomys fodiens
  • UK
8.2

A small animal like a mouse that lives near fresh water in Europe and eats insects

includes populations across Europe and northern Asia rather than Europe only

Surface Forms

Neomys fodiens singular
Neomys fodienses plural

Morphology

Neomys + fodiens

This is a Latin scientific binomial (genus + species) rather than a compositional English phrase; the parts are a taxonomic proper name ('Neomys') and an unattested/unknown element ('fodiens'), so a B1 learner knowing the written constituents would not be able to derive the meaning 'Eurasian water shrew'. Scientific names are language-specific labels and do not follow ordinary semantic composition, making the meaning unpredictable without prior exposure or external knowledge.

Etymology

Neomys fodiens comes from old Greek and Latin words: neo and mys mean 'new mouse', and fodiens means 'digger'. So, the name describes a small, mouse-like shrew that lives by streams and digs in river banks to find food.