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Glite Dictionary
Raphidae

Raphidae

9.9
A group of extinct birds that could not fly from islands in the Indian Ocean
  • noun
  • /ˈræfɪˌdeɪ/
  • Specialized
: Raphidae
  • Scientists study the bones of Raphidae to understand the evolution of flightlessness in island birds.

Examples

  • The Raphidae family included the famous dodo bird.

  • The Raphidae included some of the most famous extinct birds, such as the dodo.

  • Taxonomic revisions have reclassified members of the former Raphidae into different families.

  • Many scientists study Raphidae to understand extinction.

  • The Raphidae family consisted of the dodo and other extinct flightless birds of the Indian Ocean.

  • Researchers found fossil evidence of Raphidae, shedding light on the history of these unique birds.

  • The extinct Raphidae of the Indian Ocean are crucial for studies on avian evolution.

Synonyms

family Raphidae
vsRaphidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of extinct island birds that includes the dodo

is a historical classification stressing they were flightless and native to Indian Ocean

Surface Forms

Raphidae singular
Raphidaes plural

Etymology

The word Raphidae comes from the genus name Raphus plus the scientific ending -idae, which marks an animal 'family' and can be thought of like a last name that groups related animals. It was the name for a former family of extinct, flightless island birds, including the dodo, so Raphidae points to that group of birds.