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Glite Dictionary
Sciurus griseus

Sciurus griseus

9.9
A large gray squirrel native to the far western United States
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Sciurus griseus
  • The Sciurus griseus is easily recognized by its bushy tail and silvery-gray fur.

Examples

  • Unlike the eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus griseus is native to the far western United States.

  • Conservation efforts are underway to protect populations of Sciurus griseus in California.

  • The Sciurus griseus is commonly found in California.

  • Did you see the Sciurus griseus in the park?

  • The Sciurus griseus can often be seen foraging for nuts in the oak trees of California.

  • A Sciurus griseus scurried across the road, searching for food among the fallen leaves.

  • In autumn, the Sciurus griseus prepares for winter by gathering acorns and storing them.

Synonyms

western gray squirrel
vsSciurus griseus
  • Specialized
5.4

A large gray tree squirrel with a bushy tail that lives in western United States forests

is the scientific name used for the same animal

Surface Forms

Sciurus griseus singular
Sciurus griseus plural

Morphology

Sciurus + griseus

This is a Linnaean binomial composed of the genus name Sciurus (squirrel) plus the Latin adjective griseus (meaning 'gray'), so a learner who knows both constituents can readily infer 'gray squirrel' (the western gray squirrel). Binomial scientific names are compositional and follow a cross-linguistic naming convention, making the meaning predictable from the parts for someone who recognizes the Latin adjective.

Etymology

Sciurus griseus is the formal scientific name for the western gray squirrel. The part Sciurus comes from old words that mean 'shadow' and 'tail', pointing to the squirrel's big bushy tail, and griseus means 'gray', so the name simply describes a gray squirrel.