Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Scaphiopus multiplicatus

Scaphiopus multiplicatus

9.9
A toad with spade-shaped feet that digs and lives underground in dry parts of the southwestern United States
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Scaphiopus multiplicatus
  • The Scaphiopus multiplicatus spends much of its life underground to escape the desert heat.

Examples

  • Scientists observed several Scaphiopus multiplicatus emerging after heavy rainfall in Arizona.

  • Because of its distinctive spade-shaped feet, Scaphiopus multiplicatus is well adapted to digging in sandy soils.

  • The Scaphiopus multiplicatus is often found in desert regions.

  • Have you ever seen a Scaphiopus multiplicatus in the wild?

  • Due to its burrowing behavior, the Scaphiopus multiplicatus can easily adapt to dry environments in the southwestern United States.

  • After a rainstorm, many Scaphiopus multiplicatus can be seen emerging from their underground homes.

  • The Scaphiopus multiplicatus is known for its ability to survive in arid climates by spending most of its time buried in the ground.

Surface Forms

Scaphiopus multiplicatus singular
Scaphiopus multiplicatus plural

Morphology

Scaphiopus + multiplicatus

This is a Linnaean binomial: combining the genus name 'Scaphiopus' (a toad genus) with a species epithet yields the name of a particular species. Even if the Latin epithet's literal sense is unfamiliar, a learner who knows the constituents will readily understand this as a specific species of spadefoot toad, a compositional and cross-linguistically regular naming pattern.

Etymology

Scaphiopus multiplicatus comes from old Latin and Greek words: Scaphiopus means 'spade-foot' and multiplicatus means 'many'. The first part gives the clear image of a toad with spade-shaped feet for digging and the second reminds us they can appear in large numbers after rain, so the name helps you remember it is a burrowing toad often seen in groups.