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Glite Dictionary
Pygopodidae

Pygopodidae

9.9
A family of legless lizards from Australia and Tasmania that look like snakes
  • noun
  • /ˌpaɪɡəˈpɒdəˌdeɪ/
  • Australian
: Pygopodidae
  • Unlike snakes, members of Pygopodidae have remnants of hind limbs and external ear openings.

Examples

  • Scientists discovered a new species within the Pygopodidae family in Western Australia.

  • Did you know that Pygopodidae are found only in Australia?

  • The Pygopodidae family demonstrates remarkable adaptation to their arid environments.

  • The Pygopodidae family includes several species of legless lizards.

  • Scientists discovered a new species within the Pygopodidae family in Western Australia.

  • The Pygopodidae family demonstrates remarkable adaptation to their arid environments.

  • Unlike snakes, members of Pygopodidae have remnants of hind limbs and external ear openings.

Synonyms

family Pygopodidae
vsPygopodidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of legless lizards from Australia and Tasmania that look like snakes

emphasizes internal anatomy and external features that set them apart from snakes

Compounds

family Pygopodidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of legless lizards from Australia and Tasmania that look like snakes

Surface Forms

Pygopodidae singular
Pygopodidae plural

Morphology

Pygopodidae = pygopod (opaque) = pygopod + idae

The word is a scientific family name formed from a taxonomic suffix '-idae' attached to a technical stem; the Greek combining elements and the taxonomic formation are not readily interpretable by an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Pygopodidae comes from Greek parts pygo- ('rump') and -pod ('foot') plus -idae ('family'), so the name literally means 'rump-foot family'. These Australian lizards look like snakes but have tiny back feet near their rumps, which explains the name.