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Glite Dictionary
Plecotus townsendi

Plecotus townsendi

9.9
A bat with very large ears found in western North America
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Plecotus townsendi
  • The Plecotus townsendi is easily recognized by its unusually large ears and delicate features.

Examples

  • Conservationists are concerned about habitat loss affecting populations of Plecotus townsendi in several western states.

  • The Plecotus townsendi is often found in caves.

  • A team of biologists tracked the movements of Plecotus townsendi in the forested canyons.

  • Did you know that Plecotus townsendi has large ears?

  • Researchers observed the mating habits of the Plecotus townsendi in its natural habitat.

  • The biologist explained that Plecotus townsendi plays a crucial role in its ecosystem by controlling insect populations.

  • Audiences were fascinated by the documentary showcasing the life cycle of the Plecotus townsendi.

Synonyms

western big-eared bat
vsPlecotus townsendi
  • Specialized
8.4

A bat with very large ears that lives in western North America

has the same identity but uses an alternate scientific name

Surface Forms

Plecotus townsendi singular
Plecotus townsendis plural

Morphology

Plecotus + townsendi

The first element 'Plecotus' denotes a bat genus, and the Latin binomial pattern (genus + epithet) transparently signals a species name, so a learner who recognises both parts could infer 'a species of bat'. However, 'townsendi' is an eponymic, non-dictionary form and understanding the specific referent requires knowledge of taxonomic naming conventions, which a typical B1 learner may lack, making the relation only partially predictable.

Etymology

The name Plecotus townsendi comes from Greek and from a person's name. Plecotus points to the bat's very large, folded ears, and townsendi shows it was named for the naturalist Townsend, so the full name means 'Townsend's big-eared bat'.