Parascalops breweri

9.9

A small mole with a hairy tail that lives in forests in eastern North America

noun

Specialized

: Parascalops breweri

Unlike other moles, the Parascalops breweri has a noticeably hairy tail.

Examples

The Parascalops breweri digs extensive tunnels beneath forest floors in eastern North America.
Biologists studied the diet of Parascalops breweri to better understand local insect populations.
The Parascalops breweri is a unique species of mole.
I spotted a Parascalops breweri while hiking in the woods.
The Parascalops breweri is known for its distinctive hairy tail and burrowing habits.
In eastern North America, the Parascalops breweri can often be seen digging in moist soil.
Researchers have found that the Parascalops breweri prefers habitats rich in insects.

Synonyms

hair-tailed mole

vsParascalops breweri

Specialized

9.9

A small animal that lives underground with a short furry tail found in eastern North America

is the common name for that species rather than a physical description

Brewer's mole

vsParascalops breweri

9.9

A small mole from eastern North America with soft fur that lives mostly underground

focuses on the tail feature as its common name rather than fur or habitat

Surface Forms

Parascalops breweri singular

Parascalops breweris plural

Morphology

Parascalops + breweri

The form is a Latin binomial (genus + specific epithet), so if a learner knows 'Parascalops' as a genus of moles they can infer this refers to a particular mole species. However, 'breweri' is a Latinized name without independent lexical meaning and taxonomic naming conventions may be unfamiliar to a B1 learner, so the full sense (e.g. 'hairy-tailed mole') is not directly derivable.

Etymology

Parascalops breweri may come from two parts: the group name Parascalops, showing it is a kind of mole, and the second name breweri, likely given to honor a naturalist named Brewer who studied it. So the name helps you remember this 'hairy-tailed mole' and that it was named after a person.