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Glite Dictionary
Eschrichtiidae

Eschrichtiidae

9.9
A family of whales that includes only the gray whale
  • noun
  • /ˌɛs.krɪkˈtiː.ə.deɪ/
  • Specialized
: Eschrichtiidae
  • The Eschrichtiidae are unique among whales in having a single extant species, the gray whale.

Examples

  • Marine biologists have conducted extensive studies on the migration patterns of the Eschrichtiidae.

  • Fossil evidence suggests that members of the Eschrichtiidae once inhabited both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

  • The Eschrichtiidae family is known for the gray whale.

  • Did you know that Eschrichtiidae includes only the gray whale?

  • Marine biologists have conducted extensive studies on the migration patterns of the Eschrichtiidae.

  • Did you know that Eschrichtiidae includes only the gray whale?

  • The Eschrichtiidae are unique among whales in having a single extant species, the gray whale.

Synonyms

family Eschrichtiidae
vsEschrichtiidae
  • Specialized
9.5

A group of whales that has only one living species, the grey whale

is the same but uses American spelling for the species name

Surface Forms

Eschrichtiidae singular
Eschrichtiids plural

Morphology

Eschrichtiidae = Eschrichtius (opaque) = Eschrichti + idae

Formation uses a Latin scientific genus stem plus the taxonomic suffix '-idae', which is not a productive, semantically transparent morpheme for average learners.

Etymology

Eschrichtiidae comes from the name Eschricht, a scientist, plus the animal family ending -idae, which means 'family' in scientific names. So Eschrichtiidae is the 'Eschricht' family of whales, which is why the name refers to the group that includes the gray whale.