anomaluridae
|an-no-ma-lu-ri-dae|
🇺🇸
/ˌænəˌmɑːˈlʊrɪdi/
🇬🇧
/ˌænəˌmɒˈlʊrɪdiː/
scaly-tailed rodents (family name)
Etymology
'anomaluridae' originates from Neo-Latin, formed from the genus name 'Anomalurus' plus the taxonomic family suffix '-idae' (used to form names of animal families).
'Anomalurus' was derived from Greek elements: 'anomalos' (ἀνωμαλός) meaning 'irregular' or 'uneven' and 'oura' (οὐρά) meaning 'tail'; the Neo-Latin genus name 'Anomalurus' led to the family name 'Anomaluridae' in modern taxonomy.
Initially the components referred to an 'irregular/uneven tail,' but over time the compound name came to denote the taxonomic group (the family of scaly-tailed rodents) rather than a literal description.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a family of African rodents (Anomaluridae) commonly called scaly-tailed squirrels; arboreal, nocturnal, some species possess gliding membranes and scaly structures on the tail.
Anomaluridae includes several genera of scaly-tailed rodents found in African forests.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/18 02:51