Cicindelidae

/ˌsɪsɪnˈdeɪlɪdiː/ noun

Definition

The scientific family name for tiger beetles, containing hundreds of species of small, fast, predatory beetles found worldwide.

Etymology

From Cicindela (genus name) plus -idae, the standardized Latin suffix for biological families. Established in modern zoological taxonomy during the 19th century.

Kelly Says

Every organism on Earth has a taxonomic 'last name' ending in -idae (for animals)—it's like biological surnames that tell you exactly who your relatives are in the tree of life.

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