avicularia
|a-vi-cu-la-ri-a|
🇺🇸
/ˌævɪkjʊˈlɛəriə/
🇬🇧
/ˌævɪkjʊˈlɪəriə/
(avicularium)
bird-like, small grasping structure
Etymology
'avicularia' originates from New Latin (used in biological taxonomy), ultimately from Latin 'avicularium', where 'avicula' meant 'little bird' (diminutive of 'avis', 'bird').
'avicularium' derived from Latin 'avicula' (diminutive of 'avis') and was adopted into New Latin for use in scientific naming; it later gave rise to the English usage 'avicularia' as the plural form and as a taxonomic name.
Initially it referred to 'little bird' or things pertaining to birds ('avicula' as a diminutive), but over time in scientific usage it came to denote 'bird-like' structures (e.g., beak-like zooids) and a genus name for certain arboreal spiders.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'avicularium': specialized, often beak- or jaw-like zooids found in some bryozoan colonies that can grasp or defend.
The bryozoan colony had numerous avicularia that snapped shut to deter small predators.
Noun 2
a historical or taxonomic reference to the spider genus Avicularia (tree-dwelling tarantulas); in older literature many arboreal tarantulas were placed in this genus.
Older field guides often listed many tree-dwelling spiders under the genus name avicularia.
Last updated: 2025/12/02 10:48