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Glite Dictionary
Pseudemys concinna

Pseudemys concinna

9.9
A large river turtle found in the southern United States and northern Mexico
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Pseudemys concinna
  • The Pseudemys concinna can often be seen basking on logs along southern U.S. rivers.

Examples

  • Unlike other turtles, Pseudemys concinna prefers slow-moving streams and rivers.

  • Researchers are studying the habitats of Pseudemys concinna to promote conservation efforts.

  • The Pseudemys concinna is often seen basking on rocks.

  • Have you ever spotted a Pseudemys concinna in the wild?

  • The Pseudemys concinna often emerges from the water to bask in the sun near riverbanks.

  • In spring, the Pseudemys concinna can be spotted laying eggs in sandy areas by the river.

  • Conservationists aim to protect the Pseudemys concinna by restoring its natural habitats along the waterways.

Synonyms

cooter
vsPseudemys concinna
  • US
3 9.9

A large freshwater turtle that sits in the sun on logs and rocks in southern United States rivers

is the specific species name not a general group label
river cooter
vsPseudemys concinna
  • US
9.9

A large freshwater turtle with a smooth shell that lives in rivers of the southern US and Mexico

is the scientific species name rather than the common name

Surface Forms

Pseudemys concinna singular
Pseudemys concinna plural

Morphology

Pseudemys + concinna

The genus name Pseudemys signals this is a turtle (so a learner who knows that constituent can infer it refers to a species of turtle), but the species epithet concinna is an arbitrary taxonomic label (and here not lexically defined) that does not encode the specific meaning 'river cooter' or details like size or habitat. Because part of the meaning (it's a turtle species) is derivable from the constituents but the crucial specific sense is not predictable, the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Pseudemys concinna is a scientific name made from old Latin and Greek words that scientists used to describe this turtle. The first part, Pseudemys, joins 'pseudo' ('false') and 'emys' ('turtle'), and concinna means 'neat' or 'pretty', so today the name simply refers to the river cooter turtle.