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Glite Dictionary
Peromyscus gossypinus

Peromyscus gossypinus

9.9
A large dark mouse from the southeastern United States that lives in forests and thickets
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Peromyscus gossypinus
  • During field studies, biologists observed the Peromyscus gossypinus foraging for seeds in the underbrush.

Examples

  • Peromyscus gossypinus prefers habitats with dense ground cover, such as forests and thickets.

  • Researchers set humane traps to monitor the population of Peromyscus gossypinus in the wetland preserve.

  • Diseases carried by Peromyscus gossypinus can affect both other wildlife species and humans.

  • Look! A Peromyscus gossypinus!

  • What a Peromyscus gossypinus!

  • The Peromyscus gossypinus is often found near water sources in the southeastern United States.

  • The distinctive features of the Peromyscus gossypinus include its dark fur and large ears, making it easily identifiable.

Synonyms

cotton mouse
vsPeromyscus gossypinus
  • US
1 9.4

A large dark mouse that lives in woods and swamps in the southeastern United States

is the formal scientific name used for the same species

Surface Forms

Peromyscus gossypinus singular
Peromyscus gossypini plural

Morphology

Peromyscus + gossypinus

This is a technical Latin binomial made of a formal genus name and an unfamiliar species epithet; a B1 learner who only knows the provided constituents (one being a taxonomic label and the other not listed) would not be able to derive the common meaning 'cotton mouse'. Taxonomic Latin requires specialist or etymological knowledge (e.g., Latin/Greek roots) rather than ordinary compositional understanding, so the phrase is not transparently interpretable by learners.

Etymology

Peromyscus gossypinus has a clue inside it: gossypinus comes from a word for 'cotton'. People call this animal the 'cotton mouse' because its fur is soft like cotton and it was often found near cotton plants, so the name helps you remember what it is.