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Glite Dictionary
Spheniscus demersus

Spheniscus demersus

9.9
A black-and-white penguin that lives on the coasts of southern Africa and makes a braying call like a donkey
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Spheniscus demersus
  • The Spheniscus demersus is commonly known as the African penguin.

Examples

  • The call of the Spheniscus demersus sounds remarkably like a donkey's bray.

  • The Spheniscus demersus is easily recognized by the distinctive black band across its chest.

  • Researchers observed a colony of Spheniscus demersus nesting on the rocky coastline.

  • Have you ever seen a Spheniscus demersus in the wild?

  • Researchers observed a colony of Spheniscus demersus nesting on the rocky coastline.

  • The call of the Spheniscus demersus sounds remarkably like a donkey's bray.

  • The Spheniscus demersus is easily recognized by the distinctive black band across its chest.

Synonyms

jackass penguin
vsSpheniscus demersus
  • South African
1 7.8

A small penguin from southern Africa and South America with a loud braying call like a donkey

is found only along southern African coasts rather than also in South America

Surface Forms

Spheniscus demersus singular
Spheniscus demersus plural

Morphology

Spheniscus + demersus

This is a Latin binomial (scientific) name: species epithets are conventional labels rather than compositional English phrases. Even if a learner recognised 'Spheniscus' as a penguin genus, the epithet 'demersus' is not a common English word and the combined name does not transparently yield the meaning 'African penguin' to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Spheniscus demersus comes from old Greek and Latin words that describe the bird. The part Spheniscus suggests a small 'wedge' shape like its flippers and demersus means 'plunged' or 'dived', so the name makes you think of a wedge-shaped penguin that dives into the sea, which helps you remember this species.