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genus Alosa

genus Alosa

8.6
A group of fish called shads in the herring family
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs əˈloʊsə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Alosa
  • The genus Alosa includes several species of shad found in European and North American rivers.

Examples

  • Many fish in the genus Alosa migrate upstream to spawn.

  • Scientists studied the migration patterns of fish in the genus Alosa.

  • Many commercial fisheries depend on various members of the genus Alosa for their harvests.

  • The genus Alosa includes several species of shads.

  • Many commercial fisheries depend on various members of the genus Alosa for their harvests.

  • Scientists studied the migration patterns of fish in the genus Alosa.

  • The genus Alosa includes several species of shad found in European and North American rivers.

Synonyms

Alosa
vsgenus Alosa
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of fish like shads that live in northern rivers and seas

emphasizes classification in the herring family rather than geographic range

Surface Forms

genus Alosa singular
genera Alosa plural

Morphology

genus + Alosa

The phrase is fully compositional: 'genus' (a biological rank grouping related species) combined with 'Alosa' (the name of a genus of fish) yields the literal meaning 'the genus called Alosa, a group of related shad species.' This follows standard taxonomic naming conventions present across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reliably infer the meaning.

Etymology

The name genus Alosa comes from an old Latin word 'alosa' that people used for shad fish. In biology, genus means a 'group' of similar species, so genus Alosa is the 'group of shad species'.