caecilian
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- Any of the small, slender, limbless, burrowing, wormlike amphibians of the order Gymnophiona. They inhabit moist soil in tropical regions.
Adjective:
- Of, relating to, or belonging to the family Caeciliidae, which is a family within the order Gymnophiona.
Examples
Noun:
- The biologist discovered a rare caecilian in the rainforest soil.
- Unlike frogs, caecilians have no legs and are often mistaken for large worms.
Adjective:
- The caecilian species found here is new to science.
- They studied the caecilian reproductive cycle.
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in zoological and herpetological contexts to describe this specific order of amphibians.
- "Gymnophiona" is the scientific order name, and "caecilian" is the common name for its members.
Variants and Related Words
- Apoda: An older, synonymous name for the order Gymnophiona.
- Gymnophiona: The scientific order to which all caecilians belong.
Synonyms
- Limbless amphibian (descriptive synonym)
- Gymnophione (scientific synonym)
Related Phrases
- Burrowing amphibian: A descriptive phrase often applicable to caecilians due to their lifestyle.
- Soil-dwelling amphibian: Another descriptive phrase highlighting their habitat.
Adjective
- of or relating to or belonging to the family Caeciliidae
Noun
- any of the small slender limbless burrowing wormlike amphibians of the order Gymnophiona; inhabit moist soil in tropical regions