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Glite Dictionary
family Scyliorhinidae

family Scyliorhinidae

9.9
A group of small sharks called catsharks that live on the sea floor
  • noun
  • /ˈfæmɪli ˌskaɪlɪˈraɪnɪdi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia Scyliorhinidae
  • The family Scyliorhinidae includes more than a hundred species of catsharks.

Examples

  • The elongated bodies and mottled patterns are characteristic of the family Scyliorhinidae.

  • Many members of the family Scyliorhinidae are found in shallow waters.

  • Marine biologists study members of the family Scyliorhinidae to understand biodiversity on the ocean floor.

  • The family Scyliorhinidae includes various species of catsharks.

  • Marine biologists study members of the family Scyliorhinidae to understand biodiversity on the ocean floor.

  • The family Scyliorhinidae includes more than a hundred species of catsharks.

  • Many members of the family Scyliorhinidae are found in shallow waters.

Synonyms

Scyliorhinidae
vsfamily Scyliorhinidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A family of small sharks that live on the sea floor, called catsharks

omits saying that the family occurs worldwide in its description

Surface Forms

family Scyliorhinidae singular
families Scyliorhinidae plural

Morphology

family + Scyliorhinidae

This is a straightforward taxonomic noun phrase: 'family' (a scientific grouping) combined with the taxon name 'Scyliorhinidae' (bottom-dwelling sharks) directly yields 'the family of those sharks.' Taxonomic constructions like this are compositional and follow predictable cross-linguistic naming patterns, so a learner who knows both constituents can understand the meaning.

Etymology

Family Scyliorhinidae comes from the scientific genus Scyliorhinus plus the family ending -idae. Scyliorhinus may come from Greek words for a small dog or cat and for a shark, so the name gives the picture of a small, cat-like shark on the sea floor. That's why 'family Scyliorhinidae' means the group of small, bottom-living sharks called 'catsharks'.