order Pholidota
- noun
- Specialized
- Members of the order Pholidota are known for their overlapping scales and insectivorous diet.
Examples
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Scientists have reclassified certain extinct mammals that were once placed in the order Pholidota.
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The order Pholidota includes unique mammals known as pangolins.
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Unlike most other mammals, species in the order Pholidota possess large protective keratin scales.
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Are pangolins part of the order Pholidota?
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The order Pholidota is known for its unique features, including keratin-covered scales.
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Researchers classify pangolins under the order Pholidota, which reflects their evolutionary traits.
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The order Pholidota includes animals that are primarily insectivorous and have a long, sticky tongue.
Synonyms
A group of scaly mammals called pangolins that live in Africa and Asia
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase directly combines 'order' as a taxonomic rank with the taxon name 'Pholidota', so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to the taxonomic order containing pangolins. This is a straightforward compositional naming pattern common in scientific nomenclature and cross-linguistically recognizable.
Etymology
The name order Pholidota comes from the Greek word Pholidota meaning 'scale', because pangolins are covered in large overlapping scales. So order Pholidota is the name for the group of these scaly mammals.