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Glite Dictionary
genus Tupaia

genus Tupaia

9.9
A group of small mammals that live in trees in Southeast Asia
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs tuˈpaɪə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Tupaia
  • Researchers discovered a new member of the genus Tupaia in the forests of Borneo.

Examples

  • Did you know that the genus Tupaia is native to Southeast Asia?

  • The genus Tupaia serves as a model for evolutionary studies among small mammals.

  • Many species within the genus Tupaia are studied for their unique behaviors and biology.

  • The genus Tupaia includes several fascinating species.

  • Many species within the genus Tupaia are studied for their unique behaviors and biology.

  • Researchers discovered a new member of the genus Tupaia in the forests of Borneo.

  • The genus Tupaia serves as a model for evolutionary studies among small mammals.

Synonyms

Tupaia
vsgenus Tupaia
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A small mammal that lives in trees in Southeast Asia

has the same meaning but highlights its role as the principal genus

Surface Forms

genus Tupaia singular
genera Tupaia plural

Morphology

genus + Tupaia

The phrase is a straightforward taxonomic NP: 'genus' (a biological rank) combined with the proper name 'Tupaia' yields the meaning 'the genus named Tupaia.' This compositional, naming pattern is cross-linguistically regular in scientific nomenclature and would be clear to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Genus Tupaia probably comes from the Malay word tupai, which means 'squirrel' or a small tree animal. Early scientists used this local name for the squirrel-like tree shrews they found, so today genus Tupaia is the scientific name for that group of small mammals.