anniellidae
|an-ni-el-li-dae|
/ˌæn.iˈɛl.ɪ.diː/
family of legless lizards
Etymology
'anniellidae' originates from New Latin, specifically the genus name 'Anniella' combined with the family-forming suffix '-idae'.
'anniellidae' was formed in scientific Latin by adding the suffix '-idae' (used to form animal family names) to the genus name 'Anniella', and entered modern English as the taxonomic family name 'Anniellidae'.
Initially, it designated the taxonomic family composed around the genus 'Anniella'; over time it has continued to denote that same family in zoological classification.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a family of small, legless lizards (commonly called American legless lizards) native to western North America, comprising the genus Anniella and related taxa.
Anniellidae includes several species of legless lizards adapted to a burrowing lifestyle.
Synonyms
Noun 2
(Informal/collective) Members of the family Anniellidae considered as a group; the anniellids.
Field guides often list the anniellidae found in coastal dunes separately from other lizard families.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/15 18:07