Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Tenrecidae

Tenrecidae

9.9
A group of small to medium-sized mammals found mainly in Madagascar and parts of Africa
  • noun
  • /ˌtɛnrəˈsiːdə/
  • Specialized
: tenrecidos
  • Madagascar is the primary home of the mammals classified as Tenrecidae.

Examples

  • Many Tenrecidae species are nocturnal and insectivorous.

  • Researchers have discovered several extinct species belonging to Tenrecidae in fossil records.

  • The family Tenrecidae exhibits a remarkable diversity of size and shape among its members.

  • The Tenrecidae family includes various species of tenrecs.

  • Madagascar is known for its unique wildlife, including the small mammals called Tenrecidae.

  • The Tenrecidae family is fascinating due to its range of adaptations to their environments.

  • Scientists study the Tenrecidae to learn more about evolution and biodiversity on Madagascar.

Surface Forms

Tenrecidae singular
Tenrecidaes plural
Tenrecids plural

Morphology

Tenrecidae = tenrec (semi-transparent) = tenrec + idae

Formed by adding the scientific family suffix '-idae' to 'tenrec'; the relation to the animal is clear to those familiar with taxonomic naming but not to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Tenrecidae comes from the animal name tenrec, which itself comes from a Malagasy word for this creature, plus the scientific ending -idae meaning 'family' of animals. So Tenrecidae simply means the 'tenrec family'.