family Ascaphidae
- noun
- /ˈfæmɪli əˈskæfɪdeɪ/
- Specialized
- Only one species belongs to the family Ascaphidae, making it unique among frogs.
Examples
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The family Ascaphidae contains some of the most primitive frogs alive today.
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Biologists study the family Ascaphidae to understand the evolution of amphibians.
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The family Ascaphidae is unique among frogs.
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Did you know that the family Ascaphidae includes only one species?
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Biologists study the family Ascaphidae to understand the evolution of amphibians.
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Only one species belongs to the family Ascaphidae, making it unique among frogs.
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The family Ascaphidae contains some of the most primitive frogs alive today.
Synonyms
A group of frogs, including the tailed frog, that live in fast streams in western North America
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward taxonomic naming construction: 'family' (a scientific grouping) + the proper taxon name 'Ascaphidae' yields the name of that frog family. Given knowledge of the constituents, the meaning (a family of frogs called Ascaphidae) is directly compositional and follows a common cross-linguistic pattern for biological classification.
Etymology
Family Ascaphidae names a small group of frogs that includes the 'tailed frog'. Only one species belongs to this family, so picture one lone frog with a tiny tail — that image helps you remember that Ascaphidae means a 'single species' frog family.