zapus

Thân thiện

A small zapus hops through a grassy meadow.

Definition

Noun: 1. A genus of small rodents: Zapus is the scientific name for the type genus of the family Zapodidae, commonly known as jumping mice. These are small, nocturnal rodents characterized by long hind legs and tails, adapted for jumping.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The biologist studied the skeletal structure of Zapus to understand its jumping mechanics.
  • Several species within the genus Zapus are found in North America.

Advanced Usage

• In taxonomic context: The word is used almost exclusively in scientific, zoological, or taxonomic writing to classify and discuss these specific rodents.
  • The fossil record suggests Zapus has changed little over millions of years.

Variants and Related Words

• Zapodidae (n): The family name to which the genus belongs.
• jumping mouse (n): The common name for rodents in the genera , , and .

Synonyms

• Jumping mouse (genus): This is the common name equivalent for the genus, though it is less precise scientifically.

Notes on Usage

• Capitalization: As a genus name, is always capitalized and is typically italicized in scientific texts.
• Context: This term is highly specialized. In everyday language, the common name "jumping mouse" is used instead. The word itself is not used in idioms, phrasal verbs, or informal expressions.

Học thuật

Noun

1. type genus of the Zapodidae

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Zapus
• genus Zapus