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genus Pitta

genus Pitta

9.9
A group of birds with bright feathers from southern Asia, Australia, and nearby islands
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs ˈpɪtə/
  • Specialized
: género Pitta
  • The colorful plumage of birds in the genus Pitta makes them popular among birdwatchers.

Examples

  • The genus Pitta includes several species known for their distinctive calls and hopping movements.

  • Researchers discovered an undocumented species within the genus Pitta in the Indonesian rainforests.

  • The genus Pitta includes many colorful species.

  • Did you know that the genus Pitta is known for its vibrant plumage?

  • Researchers discovered an undocumented species within the genus Pitta in the Indonesian rainforests.

  • The genus Pitta includes several species known for their distinctive calls and hopping movements.

  • The colorful plumage of birds in the genus Pitta makes them popular among birdwatchers.

Surface Forms

genus Pitta singular
genera Pitta plural

Morphology

genus + pitta

This is compositional: a learner who knows 'genus' (a biological rank) and 'pitta' (a type of bird) can infer it denotes the taxonomic group containing pittas. The pattern 'genus + taxon name' is a regular, cross-linguistic scientific naming convention, so the meaning is directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Genus Pitta gets its name from a local South Asian word, Pitta, meaning 'small bird' and used for bright birds that hop on the forest floor. So today genus Pitta is the scientific name for that group of colorful, hopping birds.