harpy bat
- noun
- Australian
:
murciélago harpy
- The harpy bat is easily recognized by its unusual tube-shaped nostrils.
Examples
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Unlike most bats, the harpy bat prefers eating fruit and nectar at night.
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Scientists discovered a new species of harpy bat in the rainforest last year.
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The harpy bat is known for its unique nostrils.
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Did you see the harpy bats in the cave?
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Scientists discovered a new species of harpy bat in the rainforest last year.
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The harpy bat is easily recognized by its unusual tube-shaped nostrils.
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Unlike most bats, the harpy bat prefers eating fruit and nectar at night.
Synonyms
A fruit bat with nostrils shaped like tubes
A fruit bat with nostrils that stick out like small tubes
A bat that eats fruit and has tube-shaped nostrils that point away from each other
A fruit bat from New Guinea and nearby islands with tube-shaped nostrils
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun–noun compound: 'harpy' (a named genus/type) + 'bat' (the mammal) yields 'a bat of the harpy genus', so the meaning is directly derivable from the constituents. The species-naming pattern is common cross-linguistically and would be intelligible to a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
The name harpy bat may come from the old myth of the 'harpy', a fierce bird-woman. The bat's tube-like nostrils and bird-like face made people think of a harpy, so the name helps you remember this small fruit bat with unusual nostrils.
