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Glite Dictionary
genus Sphyrna

genus Sphyrna

9.3
A group of sharks with hammer-shaped heads
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs ˈsfɪrnə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Sphyrna
  • The genus Sphyrna includes several species of hammerhead sharks.

Examples

  • Within the family Sphyrnidae, the genus Sphyrna includes several distinct species of hammerhead sharks.

  • The genus Sphyrna is notable for its species' unusual head shape.

  • Scientists have classified the genus Sphyrna as the group containing all hammerhead sharks.

  • Did you know that the genus Sphyrna is known for its unique head shape?

  • Scientists have classified the genus Sphyrna as the group containing all hammerhead sharks.

  • The genus Sphyrna is known for its species' distinctive hammer-shaped heads.

  • Within the family Sphyrnidae, the genus Sphyrna consists of several unique species of hammerhead sharks.

Synonyms

Sphyrna
vsgenus Sphyrna
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of hammerhead sharks with hammer-shaped heads

is the group that formally defines the family Sphyrnidae

Surface Forms

genus Sphyrna singular
genera Sphyrna plural

Morphology

genus + Sphyrna

The phrase simply combines the taxonomic rank 'genus' with the proper name 'Sphyrna', so its meaning ('the genus called Sphyrna') is directly derivable from the constituents. Rank + taxon-name constructions are cross-linguistically common and non-idiomatic, so a learner who knows both words would understand it.

Etymology

Genus Sphyrna comes from an old Greek word, Sphyrna, meaning 'hammer', because these sharks have a wide, hammer-shaped head. So the name genus Sphyrna now refers to the group of hammerhead sharks.