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Glite Dictionary
Canis lupus arctos

Canis lupus arctos

9.7
A large white wolf that lives in the Arctic with a black tip on its tail
  • noun
  • /ˈkeɪnɪs ˈluːpəs ˈɑrktoʊs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Canis lupus arctos
  • Researchers observed a pack of Canis lupus arctos hunting caribou last winter.

Examples

  • The Canis lupus arctos is well adapted to survive the freezing temperatures of the Arctic tundra.

  • Because of its white coat, Canis lupus arctos blends in seamlessly with the snowy landscape.

  • Because of its white coat, Canis lupus arctos is often difficult to spot against the snow.

  • The Canis lupus arctos is often found in the tundra regions.

  • Many researchers study the Canis lupus arctos for its unique adaptations.

  • Researchers studied a pack of Canis lupus arctos as they migrated across the Arctic region.

  • The Canis lupus arctos is known for its impressive hunting skills in the harsh conditions of the Arctic.

Synonyms

Arctic wolf
vsCanis lupus arctos
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A white wolf that lives in Arctic North America and has a black-tipped tail

is the scientific name for the same subspecies
white wolf
vsCanis lupus arctos
  • US
1 4.2

A large wolf that lives in Arctic North America and has white fur

is the scientific taxonomic name rather than the common label

Surface Forms

Canis lupus arctos singular
Canis lupus arctoses plural

Morphology

Canis + lupus + arctos

This is a Latin taxonomic (genus–species–subspecies) name whose meaning is compositionally derivable: Canis (genus of dogs/wolves) + lupus (wolf) + arctos (Arctic) yields an Arctic wolf/subspecies of gray wolf. Binomial/trinomial scientific naming is a regular, cross‑linguistic convention, so a learner who knows the constituent parts can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Canis lupus arctos is a scientific name built from older words: Canis means 'dog', lupus means 'wolf', and arctos means 'north' or 'arctic'. So the name paints a simple picture — a wolf of the far north with a white coat (and often a black-tipped tail), which is why we use it today for this Arctic type of wolf.