xanthid
9.9
About crabs from a family often found in warm seas and usually brightly coloured
- adjective
- /ˈzænθɪd/
- Specialized
:
xántido
- In Bahamian nursery grounds, the most important of these, by virtue of their abundance, were xanthid crabs less than 5 mm in carapace width.
Examples
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The xanthid crab can be identified by its distinctive yellowish hue and robust claws.
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The xanthid species found in the reef displays vibrant colors that attract divers.
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Research shows that xanthid crabs play a vital role in the marine ecosystem.
Surface Forms
xanthid positive
Morphology
xanthid = Xanthidae (opaque) = xanth + id
The word is a specialized taxonomic derivative, but most learners will not infer its meaning from the family-name base alone.
Etymology
Xanthid comes from the Greek root xanth- which means 'yellow'. So as an adjective, xanthid describes crabs that have yellow or bright colours typical of the Xanthidae family.
