Centetid

/sɛnˈtɛtɪd/ noun

Definition

An individual member of the family Centetidae; a small spiny insectivorous mammal native to Madagascar.

Etymology

From 'Centetidae' (the scientific family name) plus '-id' (suffix indicating membership in a taxonomic group). These animals were named and classified by 19th-century naturalists.

Kelly Says

Centetids are living fossils—they've remained so unchanged for millions of years that studying them is like looking at what early mammals might have been like.

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