quagga
/'kwægə/
Definition
Noun: 1. An extinct South African mammal: The quagga was a mammal native to South Africa. It was a subspecies of the plains zebra, characterized by having stripes only on the front part of its body, while its rear was a solid brown color. It became extinct in the late 19th century due to excessive hunting.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The quagga is one of the most famous examples of an animal driven to extinction by humans.
- Scientists are studying DNA from preserved quagga skins to learn more about its genetics.
- Unlike a fully striped zebra, the quagga had a unique brown-and-white pattern.
Advanced Usage
- "Quagga mussel": This is a separate, modern term for an invasive species of freshwater mussel. It is named after the quagga due to its striped shell pattern, but it is not related to the mammal.
- The spread of the quagga mussel is causing serious problems for North American waterways.
Variants and Related Words
- Quaggas (n): The standard plural form of "quagga."
- The last known quaggas died in captivity in the 1880s.
Synonyms
- Extinct zebra: A descriptive synonym highlighting its relation and status.
- Equus quagga quagga: The formal scientific name for the subspecies.
Related Idioms or Phrases
- (As) extinct as the quagga: Used as a simile to emphasize that something has completely vanished or is no longer in existence.
- That old manufacturing technique is as extinct as the quagga.
Noun
-
mammal of South Africa that resembled a zebra; extinct since late 19th century
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