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Glite Dictionary
subfamily Potoroinae

subfamily Potoroinae

9.9
A group of small Australian animals that carry their young in a pouch, like rat kangaroos
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : subfamilia Potoroinae
  • The subfamily Potoroinae includes small marsupials known as rat kangaroos.

Examples

  • The subfamily Potoroinae includes several species of rat kangaroos.

  • Several endangered species belong to the subfamily Potoroinae.

  • Scientists are studying the evolutionary history of the subfamily Potoroinae in Australia.

  • Did you know that the subfamily Potoroinae is unique to Australia?

  • The subfamily Potoroinae includes small marsupials known as rat kangaroos native to Australia.

  • Several endangered species belong to the subfamily Potoroinae, which are threatened by habitat loss.

  • Scientists are studying the subfamily Potoroinae to learn more about their evolutionary adaptations.

Synonyms

Potoroinae
vssubfamily Potoroinae
  • Specialized
9.9

Small pouched mammals like rat kangaroos that live in Australia

is defined more precisely by naming its taxonomic family

Surface Forms

subfamily Potoroinae singular
subfamilies Potoroinae plural

Morphology

subfamily + Potoroinae

The phrase is transparently compositional: 'subfamily' indicates a taxonomic rank and 'Potoroinae' is the proper scientific name, so the meaning ('the subfamily called Potoroinae') follows directly from combining the constituents. While 'Potoroinae' is technical and may be unknown to a typical B1 learner, the transparency judgement assumes knowledge of both parts, making the compound meaning predictable.

Etymology

Subfamily Potoroinae comes from the small Australian animal called a potoroo, a rat-like kangaroo, and the ending -inae that marks a subgroup of a family, so it literally means 'the group of animals like potoroos'. That's why Subfamily Potoroinae today refers to those small marsupials.