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Glite Dictionary
Pipa americana

Pipa americana

9.9
A South American toad that carries eggs in pits on her back until they hatch
  • noun
  • Specialized
: Pipa americana
  • The female Pipa americana carries her eggs in honeycomb-like pits on her back until they hatch.

Examples

  • Unlike many amphibians, Pipa americana provides a remarkable form of parental care for its young.

  • Herpetologists studied the unusual reproductive habits of Pipa americana in the Amazon rainforest.

  • The Pipa americana is known for its unique reproductive method.

  • Have you ever seen a Pipa americana in the wild?

  • Herpetologists studied the unusual reproductive habits of Pipa americana in the Amazon rainforest.

  • The female Pipa americana carries her eggs in honeycomb-like pits on her back until they hatch.

  • Unlike many amphibians, Pipa americana provides a remarkable form of parental care for its young.

Surface Forms

Pipa americana singular
Pipa americanas plural

Morphology

Pipa + americana

This is a Linnaean binomial: 'Pipa' names the frog genus (aquatic Pipidae) and 'americana' is a Latin adjective meaning 'American' (a cognate of many modern words), so a learner who knows both parts can infer it denotes an American Pipa species. However, the specific biological detail about incubating young in skin pits is specialized information not predictable from the constituents, making the overall meaning only partially transparent.

Etymology

Pipa americana is a South American toad famous for carrying its eggs in little pits on the mother's back, like a living honeycomb. Because the mother keeps the eggs in these skin pits until they hatch, the name helps you remember that this toad 'carries and protects' its young.