Felis yagouaroundi
- noun
- /ˈfɛlɪs jæɡuˈaʊrʌndi/
- Specialized
:
jaguarundi
- Researchers spotted a young Felis yagouaroundi hunting along the riverbank.
Examples
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The Felis yagouaroundi is a fascinating wildcat that can often be found in the tropical forests of Central America.
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The Felis yagouaroundi is known for its slender body and short legs.
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Deforestation threatens the natural habitat of the Felis yagouaroundi throughout South America.
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The Felis yagouaroundi is rarely seen in the wild due to its elusive behavior.
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Have you ever seen a Felis yagouaroundi in the wild?
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Many conservationists are working to protect the Felis yagouaroundi and its habitat from destruction.
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In the dense jungles of South America, the Felis yagouaroundi blends seamlessly with its surroundings.
Synonyms
A wild cat from Central and South America with a long body, short legs, and a plain coat
A small wild cat with a long body and tail that lives in Central and South America
Small wild cat with long body and tail that looks like a weasel and lives in tropical Americas
A small wild cat with a long body and tail that lives in forests of Central and South America
Surface Forms
Morphology
Felis + yagouaroundi
The Latin binomial form gives a clear cue that this is a taxonomic name and, if a learner knows 'Felis' as the cat genus, they can infer it refers to a type of cat. However, the specific epithet 'yagouaroundi' is not compositionally informative (and is not a common English word), so the precise identity and characteristics (i.e. 'jaguarundi') are not derivable from the parts alone, making the expression only partially transparent.
Etymology
Felis yagouaroundi comes from two parts: the old word Felis, meaning 'cat', and yagouaroundi, which likely comes from a local South American name for this small wildcat. One popular story says early scientists kept the local name when they gave the animal its formal name, so the name helps you remember it refers to the jaguarundi, a long-bodied, long-tailed wildcat of Central and South America.
