Gavialis gangeticus
- noun
- Specialized
:
Gavialis gangeticus
- The unique snout of Gavialis gangeticus helps it catch fish more efficiently.
Examples
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The endangered Gavialis gangeticus is now limited to a few rivers in northern India.
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Researchers observed the hunting techniques of Gavialis gangeticus in its natural habitat.
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The Gavialis gangeticus is known for its unique snout.
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Many researchers study the Gavialis gangeticus in its natural habitat.
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Researchers observed the hunting techniques of Gavialis gangeticus in its natural habitat.
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The unique snout of Gavialis gangeticus helps it catch fish more efficiently.
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The endangered Gavialis gangeticus is now limited to a few rivers in northern India.
Synonyms
1
6.5
A large meat-eating reptile like a crocodile or alligator with a long snout and a strong tail
1
9.9
A large crocodile with a very long thin snout that eats fish
1
9.9
A large crocodile with a very long narrow snout that eats fish in rivers in India and nearby countries
A group of large crocodile-like animals with long, narrow snouts from South Asia
Surface Forms
Morphology
Gavialis + gangeticus
This is a Latin binomial name: the first element 'Gavialis' clearly signals a long-snouted crocodilian, so part of the meaning (the animal type) is deducible. The species epithet 'gangeticus' is a Latinized geographic marker ('of the Ganges') and is not an English word or immediately recognizable to a B1 learner, so the full meaning is not fully predictable without specialized/etymological knowledge.
Etymology
Gavialis gangeticus may come from Gavialis, a form of the local name 'gharial' for the long-snouted crocodile, and gangeticus, which means 'of the Ganges'. Imagine a long, thin snout hunting fish in the river, so the name fits a fish-eating crocodile from the 'Ganges'.