Peramelidae

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of nocturnal, carnivorous marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, known for their elongated bodies and distinctive characteristics
2. A taxonomic group that includes animals resembling bandicoots, this family is recognized for its adaptations to a predatory lifestyle in various habitats
3. Characterized by small to medium-sized members, this family reflects a unique evolutionary lineage among marsupials and plays a role in ecosystem dynamics

Etymology: Peramelidae is a scientific family name, and its construction is what makes it readable. It is a Latinised formation built from two parts: "perameles," the genus name of the type genus, and the standard zoological suffix "-idae," which marks a family rank. The genus name "Perameles" was coined in the early nineteenth century by the French naturalist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, who was working from specimens of these animals, and it combines the Greek "pera" (pouch, or bag) with the Latin-style "meles" (badger). The name thus describes a pouched animal with a badger-like look, a fitting description for bandicoots. Peramelidae itself was formalised later, as taxonomists grouped the genera into a family, and the "-idae" ending follows the convention set by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Because it is named after a genus, the family name works like most animal family names: it is a technical coinage, not an ancient word, and its meaning is inherited from the genus it is built on.

Synonyms: bandicoot family