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Glite Dictionary
Insectivora

Insectivora

1 9.9
A former group of small mammals that mainly eat insects, like shrews, moles, and hedgehogs
  • noun
  • /ɪnˈsɛktɪˌvɔrə/
  • Archaic
: Insectívoros
  • Many Insectivoras are nocturnal and hunt at night.

Examples

  • Early zoologists grouped many small, sharp-toothed mammals as members of Insectivora.

  • Shrews and hedgehogs were once classified together in the order Insectivora.

  • The order Insectivora has been largely replaced by the more accurate order Eulipotyphla in modern taxonomy.

  • The Insectivora order includes many fascinating creatures.

  • Shrews, moles, and hedgehogs are all part of the former order Insectivora, known for their insect-eating habits.

  • The order Insectivora includes several small mammals that primarily feed on insects.

  • Many small mammals, such as tenrecs and shrews, were classified under the order Insectivora.

Synonyms

order Insectivora
vsInsectivora
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A former group of small insect-eating mammals like shrews and hedgehogs

has identical meaning but phrases its status more directly as former
Lipotyphla
vsInsectivora
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A group of small, insect-eating mammals like moles, hedgehogs, and shrews no longer used in modern classification

is broader and explicitly includes tenrecs among its members

Compounds

order Insectivora
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A former group of small insect-eating mammals like shrews and hedgehogs

Surface Forms

Insectivora singular
Insectivoras plural

Etymology

Insectivora comes from Latin words insect and vorare, meaning 'insect' and 'to eat'. It is like the word carnivore ('meat-eater') but means 'insect-eater', which is why this old group name was used for small animals such as shrews, moles, and hedgehogs that mostly eat insects.