Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🦡 A marsupial genus 🦡 Tasmanian devil group
Sarcophilus

Sarcophilus

9.9
A meat-eating Australian animal group whose only living member is the Tasmanian devil
  • noun
  • /sɑrˈkɒfɪləs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Sarcophilus
  • The genus Sarcophilus contains only one living species, the Tasmanian devil.

Examples

  • The genus Sarcophilus is famous for containing the Tasmanian devil, a unique marsupial.

  • Fossils attributed to Sarcophilus have been discovered at several Australian sites.

  • Researchers studied the evolution of Sarcophilus and its extinct relatives.

  • The Sarcophilus is known for its fierce demeanor.

  • Did you see the Sarcophilus at the zoo?

  • Researchers are studying the behavior of Sarcophilus to understand its ecological role.

  • Fossils of Sarcophilus provide insight into the prehistoric wildlife of Australia.

Compounds

Sarcophilus harrisii
  • Specialized
9.9

A small fierce animal from Tasmania that eats meat and has black fur and a long tail

Surface Forms

Sarcophilus singular
Sarcophili plural

Morphology

Sarcophilus = sarco + philus

A Latinized scientific name built from Greek combining forms; the parts are not productive standalone English words and the name is not guessable to an average learner.

Etymology

Sarcophilus comes from the Greek parts sarco- meaning 'flesh' and -phil- meaning 'loving', the same phil- you see in philosophy ('love of wisdom'). So the name literally says 'flesh-lover', which helps you remember this genus is made of meat-eating marsupials like the Tasmanian devil.