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Glite Dictionary
Tursiops truncatus

Tursiops truncatus

8.1
A large smart grey dolphin with a short rounded nose that lives near coasts
  • noun
  • /ˈtɜrsiˌɑps trʌŋˈkeɪtəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Tursiops truncatus
  • The Tursiops truncatus is one of the most studied marine mammals due to its intelligence and adaptability.

Examples

  • Researchers have discovered complex communication abilities among wild Tursiops truncatus groups.

  • Many aquariums feature Tursiops truncatus in their shows.

  • Many aquariums feature Tursiops truncatus in educational and entertainment programs.

  • The Tursiops truncatus is known for its intelligence.

  • Many aquariums feature Tursiops truncatus in educational and entertainment programs.

  • Researchers have discovered complex communication abilities among wild Tursiops truncatus groups.

  • The Tursiops truncatus is one of the most studied marine mammals due to its intelligence and adaptability.

Synonyms

bottlenose
vsTursiops truncatus
3 4.2

A dolphin with a rounded forehead and long beak that lives in the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean

uses the formal scientific label rather than this short common form
bottlenose dolphin
vsTursiops truncatus
2 2.7

A common sea mammal that lives in the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean and has a rounded forehead and long nose

uses the formal scientific label rather than physical description
bottle-nosed dolphin
vsTursiops truncatus
1 3.5

A large intelligent sea animal with a rounded forehead and a long beak

uses the formal scientific label rather than informal descriptive terms
Atlantic bottlenose dolphin
vsTursiops truncatus
2.9

A common sea mammal with a long nose living in the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean, often in aquariums

uses the formal scientific label rather than common names

Surface Forms

Tursiops truncatus singular
Tursiops truncatuses plural

Morphology

Tursiops + truncatus

This is a scientific Latin binomial: its meaning (the common bottlenose dolphin) cannot be derived by a B1 learner from the parts because 'truncatus' is not an English word and 'Tursiops' is a technical genus label. Latin morphological knowledge and taxonomic conventions are required to interpret the name, so the expression is not transparently compositional for average learners.

Etymology

Tursiops truncatus is a scientific name that comes from older words: Tursiops points to 'dolphin' and truncatus means 'short' or 'cut', referring to the animal's short, rounded 'bottle-like' snout. So the name describes the common 'bottlenose dolphin' we know from the sea and aquariums.