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Aepyceros melampus

Aepyceros melampus

9.9
A medium African antelope with curved, ridged horns that jumps high
  • noun
  • /ˌiːpɪˈsɪrəs ˈmɛləmˌpəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Aepyceros melampus
  • You can recognize a male Aepyceros melampus by its distinctive, ridged curved horns.

Examples

  • Researchers observed how the Aepyceros melampus escapes predators by leaping in great bounds.

  • The Aepyceros melampus is often seen grazing in open woodlands across southern Africa.

  • The Aepyceros melampus is known for its incredible speed.

  • Have you ever seen an Aepyceros melampus in the wild?

  • The Aepyceros melampus gracefully leaps over obstacles as it flees from predators.

  • In the Serengeti, the Aepyceros melampus can frequently be spotted in large herds.

  • A Aepyceros melampus has unique markings that help it camouflage in the grasslands.

Synonyms

impala
vsAepyceros melampus
  • South African
4 6.1

A medium African antelope with thin legs and curved horns that leaps very far

is the formal scientific name used in biological classification

Surface Forms

Morphology

Aepyceros + melampus

Because this is a Latin binomial, a learner who knows 'Aepyceros' (the antelope genus) can infer that Aepyceros melampus is a species of that genus (i.e. an antelope), but the specific epithet 'melampus' is not transparent or dictionary-attested here so the precise common-name meaning ('impala') is not directly derivable. The taxonomic form gives partial compositional information (animal + species) but not the exact everyday referent, making it only partially predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Aepyceros melampus may come from old Greek words, with Aepyceros meaning 'high horn' and melampus meaning 'black foot'. This gives the image of an antelope with tall curved horns and darker lower legs that can jump high, so the name fits the impala today.