Tapirus indicus
- noun
- Specialized
:
tapirus indicus
- The Tapirus indicus is easily recognized by its striking black-and-white coloration.
Examples
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Habitat loss poses a serious threat to the survival of Tapirus indicus in Southeast Asia.
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Zoologists observed a family of Tapirus indicus feeding near the river bank.
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The Tapirus indicus is known for its unique appearance.
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Did you know that the Tapirus indicus is an endangered species?
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The Tapirus indicus is a distinctive species found in the forests of Malaysia and Sumatra.
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In the wild, a Tapirus indicus can often be spotted grazing on foliage in its tropical habitat.
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Conservation efforts are crucial to protect the Tapirus indicus from extinction due to habitat destruction.
Synonyms
A large mammal that eats plants with black and white skin living in forests in Malaysia and Sumatra
A large plant-eating mammal with black and white fur from Southeast Asian forests
Surface Forms
Morphology
Tapirus + indicus
This is a Linnaean binomial combining the genus name 'Tapirus' (a tapir) with the Latin species epithet 'indicus' (literally ‘of India/Indian’); if a learner knows both constituents or the convention that species names indicate type and origin, they can infer it denotes a species of tapir from a particular region. Scientific Latin binomials are compositional (genus + specific epithet) and follow a predictable pattern across languages, so the meaning is derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Tapirus indicus combines Tapirus, from a native word 'tapiira' for the animal, and indicus, a Latin word meaning 'from the Indies' or 'Asian'. So the name paints a simple picture of the tapir 'from Asia', which helps you remember the black-and-white species found in Malaysia and Sumatra.
