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Macrotus

Macrotus

9.9
A group of bats from the Americas with large ears and a leaf-shaped nose
  • noun
  • /məˈkrōtəs/
  • Specialized
: Macrotus
  • The Macrotus genus includes several distinctive leafnose bat species found in Central America.

Examples

  • Macrotus bats are known for their unique noseleaf and large ears, which help them navigate in the dark.

  • Researchers studied the echolocation abilities of Macrotus bats in the wild.

  • Macrotus is notable for its large ears and keen sense of hearing.

  • The Macrotus species are fascinating creatures.

  • Have you ever seen a Macrotus in the wild?

  • In the rainforest, the Macrotus uses its exceptional hearing to find food and avoid predators.

  • Scientists document various behaviors of Macrotus species during their nightly foraging activities.

Compounds

Macrotus californicus
  • Specialized
9.9

A grey bat with very large ears that lives in southern California and northwestern Mexico

Surface Forms

Macrotus singular
Macrotuses plural

Morphology

Macrotus = macro + ot + us

Although the genus name likely contains the classical elements macro- 'large' and ot- 'ear', this taxonomic proper name is not semantically transparent to an average learner.

Etymology

Macrotus comes from Greek parts macro- 'large' and -otus 'ear'. So, Macrotus really means 'large ear', which fits these bats because they have very big ears that help them hear.