xenopus
xenopus Lexical Profile
xenopus Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An individual frog of this genus (especially the African clawed frog), widely utilized as a standard model organism in biological research, embryology, and genetics.
"Generations of university students have studied early vertebrate development by observing the large, resilient embryos of the xenopus."
A genus of highly aquatic, tongueless frogs native to sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by the presence of claws on three of their hind toes.
"During the expedition to South Africa, the herpetologist observed a wild xenopus swimming in the turbid waters of the pond."
Word Nuance & Usage
In scientific literature, it is capitalized and italicized (Xenopus) when referring formally to the taxonomic genus, but typically lowercased when referring to individual frogs as laboratory specimens.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in New Latin, derived from the Ancient Greek 'xenos' (strange or foreign) and 'pous' (foot), referencing the unusual, prominent claws on the frog's hind feet.