Nymphalis antiopa
- noun
- Specialized
:
Nymphalis antiopa
- We spotted a beautiful Nymphalis antiopa resting on the tree trunk in early spring.
Examples
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I spotted a beautiful Nymphalis antiopa in my garden.
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The coloring of the Nymphalis antiopa makes it easy to identify compared to other butterflies.
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Researchers studied the migration patterns of the Nymphalis antiopa across North America.
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The Nymphalis antiopa is often seen in late summer.
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The Nymphalis antiopa, known for its striking purple wings, is often one of the first butterflies to emerge in spring.
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During our hike, we were fortunate to see a Nymphalis antiopa fluttering gracefully among the flowers.
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Naturalists love to observe the Nymphalis antiopa for its unique behavior and vibrant wing patterns.
Synonyms
A large dark butterfly with pale yellow edges on its wings
A large dark purple butterfly with yellow edges on its wings
A large butterfly with dark purple wings and yellow edges
Surface Forms
Morphology
Nymphalis + antiopa
This is a Latin binomial (scientific) name rather than an English compositional phrase; knowing the genus label 'Nymphalis' and the opaque specific epithet 'antiopa' will not let a B1 learner infer the common-name meaning 'mourning cloak' or the description 'large dark butterfly'. Although taxonomic names are used across languages, their parts are arbitrary labels for species and are not semantically transparent to typical learners.
Etymology
Nymphalis antiopa may get its name from old Greek stories because Nymphalis links to 'nymph', a young woman in myth, and antiopa is a myth name. Its dark purple wings edged in pale yellow look like a dark 'mourning cloak', so the name helps you picture this butterfly.
