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Otaria byronia

Otaria byronia

9.9
A large sea lion that lives on the southern coasts of South America
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Otaria byronia
  • Researchers observed several Otaria byronia basking on the rocky shores of Tierra del Fuego.

Examples

  • The Otaria byronia population is an important part of the marine ecosystem along the Patagonian coast.

  • The conservation status of Otaria byronia has been monitored due to increased fishing activities in the region.

  • The Otaria byronia is known for its loud barks.

  • Have you ever seen an Otaria byronia in the wild?

  • Researchers observed several Otaria byronia basking on the rocky shores of Tierra del Fuego.

  • The Otaria byronia population is an important part of the marine ecosystem along the Patagonian coast.

  • The conservation status of Otaria byronia has been monitored due to increased fishing activities in the region.

Synonyms

South American sea lion
vsOtaria byronia
4.3

A large sea mammal that lives on the southern coasts of South America

is the formal scientific name for the same species

Surface Forms

Morphology

Otaria + byronia

The form is a Linnaean binomial (genus + specific epithet): knowing 'Otaria' (a sea lion genus) allows a learner to infer this denotes a particular species of Otaria, so part of the meaning (a type of sea lion) is compositional. However, the epithet 'byronia' is not a transparent English word and does not convey the common name or traits (e.g., 'South American sea lion'), so the precise referent and additional meaning remain opaque without prior exposure.

Etymology

Otaria byronia is the scientific name for the South American sea lion; think of it as the animal's two-part 'name', with Otaria like a family name and byronia like a given name, for a big, barking sea lion that basks on Patagonian rocks. That's why Otaria byronia refers to that particular sea lion species.