Capra aegagrus
- noun
- Specialized
:
Capra aegagrus
- Scientists believe that Capra aegagrus is the wild ancestor of modern domestic goats.
Examples
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The Capra aegagrus thrives in rocky, mountainous terrain where few other animals can survive.
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Conservation efforts are underway to protect the remaining populations of Capra aegagrus in Iran.
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The Capra aegagrus is known for its impressive horns.
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Did you know that Capra aegagrus is the wild ancestor of domestic goats?
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Conservation efforts are underway to protect the remaining populations of Capra aegagrus in Iran.
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Scientists believe that Capra aegagrus is the wild ancestor of modern domestic goats.
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The Capra aegagrus thrives in rocky, mountainous terrain where few other animals can survive.
Synonyms
A wild goat from Iran and nearby areas with large curved horns, seen as the ancestor of farm goats
A wild mountain goat with large curved horns from Iran
Surface Forms
Morphology
Capra + aegagrus
This is a Latin binomial scientific name: 'Capra' denotes the goat genus (so a learner who recognizes it could infer a relation to goats), but 'aegagrus' is not an English word and gives no clear meaning to a B1 learner. The term's taxonomic, specialized use means the full sense (a particular wild goat species and ancestor of the domestic goat) is not directly predictable from the constituents alone, so partial but not full transparency applies.
Etymology
Capra aegagrus comes from Latin words: Capra means 'goat' and aegagrus was used for wild goats, giving a clear picture of a goat in the wild. It refers to the wild mountain goat thought to be the ancestor of farm (domestic) goats, so the name helps you remember it is a wild goat species that lives on rocky slopes.
