pen-tail

9.9

A small brown tree shrew from Malaysia with a bare tail fringed by stiff hairs at the tip

noun

: tamarino de cola desnuda

The pen-tail has a naked tail fringed with long, stiff hairs at the tip.

Examples

The pen-tail is easily identified by the unique fringe of stiff hairs on its tail tip.
The forest reserve protects rare species, including the elusive pen-tail.
Researchers in Malaysia have been studying the nocturnal habits of the pen-tail.
The pen-tail is a unique species found in Malaysia.
Many researchers study the pen-tail for its distinct features.
During their expedition, the biologists observed a rare pen-tail foraging for insects in the trees.
The pen-tail is often found in the dense forests of Malaysia, where it thrives among the foliage.

Synonyms

pentail

vspen-tail

9.9

A small brown tree shrew from Malaysia with a tail fringed by stiff hairs near the tip

is the same meaning but written with a hyphenated form

pen-tailed tree shrew

vspen-tail

9.9

A small brown mammal from Malaysia with a bare tail and long stiff hairs at the tip

is the same meaning but expressed as a shorter hyphenated label

Surface Forms

pen-tail singular

pen-tails plural

Morphology

pen-tail = pen + tail (semi-transparent) = pen + tail

The components 'pen' and 'tail' are clear, but the zoological name refers to a specific tail shape/tuft and is a specialized noun not fully predictable for all learners.

Etymology

The word pen-tail is formed from pen and tail. A helpful way to remember it is to picture the animal's bare tail with a row of stiff hairs at the tip, like the end of a pen, so the name points to that special tail.