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Glite Dictionary
genus Pitymys

genus Pitymys

9.9
A small group of animals like mice once called pine mice now placed in the genus Microtus
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : género Pitymys
  • The species once grouped under genus Pitymys are now usually placed in Microtus.

Examples

  • Some biologists still refer to genus Pitymys when discussing North American pine mice.

  • The genus Pitymys includes several species of small rodents.

  • Recent taxonomic revisions have merged genus Pitymys with other vole genera.

  • Many researchers study the genus Pitymys for its unique adaptations.

  • Recent taxonomic revisions have merged genus Pitymys with other vole genera.

  • Some biologists still refer to genus Pitymys when discussing North American pine mice.

  • The species once grouped under genus Pitymys are now usually placed in Microtus.

Synonyms

Pitymys
vsgenus Pitymys
  • Specialized
9.9

Small burrowing mice that live in woodland areas of North America

is a formerly separate group now usually placed within a different genus

Surface Forms

genus Pitymys singular
genera Pitymys plural

Morphology

genus + Pitymys

This is a literal taxonomic construction: combining 'genus' (a biological rank grouping related species) with the taxon name 'Pitymys' directly yields 'the genus named Pitymys, a group of related species.' The pattern of 'rank + name' is cross-linguistically common and non-idiomatic, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reliably infer the meaning.

Etymology

Genus Pitymys comes from old words for pine and mouse, giving the image of a tiny mouse living in pine woods. Biologists once used this name for a group called 'pine mice', but today those animals are usually put in the genus 'Microtus', so genus Pitymys is now an old name.