Sphenisciformes
- noun
- /ˌsfɛnɪsˈsɪfɔrmiːz/
- Specialized
:
Sphenisciformes
- All known species of Sphenisciformes are adapted for life in water.
Examples
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The Sphenisciformes are fascinating birds that cannot fly.
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Researchers have identified several extinct members of the order Sphenisciformes.
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The closest living relatives of Sphenisciformes are thought to be other water birds.
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Have you ever seen a Sphenisciformes in the wild?
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The Sphenisciformes waddle on land but are expert swimmers in the ocean.
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In the Southern Hemisphere, Sphenisciformes can be seen diving for fish.
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The flightless Sphenisciformes are known for their distinctive black and white coloring.
Synonyms
265
1.0
A bird that cannot fly and has short legs and wings shaped like flippers for swimming
A group of flightless sea birds that includes all penguins
A family of birds that includes all penguins
Compounds
Surface Forms
Morphology
Sphenisciformes = Spheniscus (opaque) = sphenisc + iformes
This is a scientific taxonomic formation based on the genus name Spheniscus plus the order-forming suffix -iformes, but ordinary learners are unlikely to infer the meaning from the parts.
Etymology
The word Sphenisciformes comes from the Greek name Spheniscus, where sphen- means 'wedge' and the ending -iformes is a scientific ending for a 'group of animals'. A helpful image is a penguin's short, wedge-shaped body and beak, and that's why Sphenisciformes names the order of flightless water birds we call penguins.