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Glite Dictionary
genus Alopex

genus Alopex

9.9
A name once used in science to group arctic foxes
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs əˈloʊpɛks/
  • Archaic
translation icon : género Alopex
  • The genus Alopex was once used to classify arctic foxes before being merged with Vulpes.

Examples

  • Recent genetic studies have reclassified species from the genus Alopex into the genus Vulpes.

  • Did you know that the genus Alopex is native to the Arctic?

  • In older zoological texts, the arctic fox is often referred to as part of the genus Alopex.

  • The genus Alopex includes species known for their thick fur.

  • In older zoological texts, the arctic fox is often referred to as part of the genus Alopex.

  • Recent genetic studies have reclassified species from the genus Alopex into the genus Vulpes.

  • The genus Alopex was once used to classify arctic foxes before being merged with Vulpes.

Synonyms

Alopex
vsgenus Alopex
  • Archaic
9.9

A former scientific name for the arctic fox

is the same name but now replaced by a different classification

Surface Forms

genus Alopex singular
genera Alopex plural

Morphology

genus + Alopex

The phrase is fully compositional: 'genus' names a biological rank and 'Alopex' is the taxonomic name, so together they literally denote the genus called Alopex (the arctic fox genus). This taxonomic naming pattern is literal and cross-linguistically regular, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand the meaning.

Etymology

Genus Alopex comes from the old Greek word 'alopex' meaning 'fox'. Early scientists used Alopex as the name for arctic foxes, so the term came to mean that group of fox species even though many now put them in Vulpes.