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Glite Dictionary
family Scarabaeidae

family Scarabaeidae

1 8.8
A large group of beetles like scarabs that often eat dung or rotting plants
  • noun
  • /ˈfæmɪli skəˈræbiˌeɪdi/
  • Specialized
: familia Scarabaeidae
  • Researchers discovered a new species in the family Scarabaeidae while surveying the rainforest.

Examples

  • The family Scarabaeidae includes many fascinating species.

  • The family Scarabaeidae includes thousands of beetle species found worldwide.

  • Many members of the family Scarabaeidae play an essential role in decomposing animal waste.

  • Many species in the family Scarabaeidae are known as dung beetles.

  • Many insects, including the common dung beetle, are part of the family Scarabaeidae.

  • The family Scarabaeidae includes various species that are essential for nutrient cycling in ecosystems.

  • Researchers study the behavior of beetles from the family Scarabaeidae to understand their role in waste decomposition.

Synonyms

Scarabaeidae
vsfamily Scarabaeidae
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A family of beetles like scarabs that often eat dung or dead plants

adds a rank word to show the taxonomic group level

Surface Forms

family Scarabaeidae singular
families Scarabaeidae plural

Morphology

family + Scarabaeidae

This phrase is fully compositional: 'family' (a scientific grouping) combined with 'Scarabaeidae' (the beetle taxon) yields the straightforward meaning 'the taxonomic family of Scarabaeidae beetles.' This taxonomic naming pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

The name family Scarabaeidae comes from the old word 'scarab' for the round dung beetle that was important to the ancient Egyptians. That's why Scarabaeidae is the name for the group, a 'family', of scarab or 'dung beetles' that roll dung or eat dead plants and animals.