Plural of 'fauna'; collections of all the animals of particular regions, time periods, or ecosystems.
From 'fauna' (from Latin goddess Fauna) plus regular English '-s' plural ending. While Latin purists might use 'faunae', modern English standard pluralization uses 's'.
When we compare the faunas of different continents, we see how evolution worked differently in isolated places! Australia's fauna includes marsupials found nowhere else, while Africa's fauna includes the famous 'Big Five' animals—these differences tell us stories about continental drift and isolation millions of years ago.
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