Pintail
Anas acuta
[Linnaeus, 1758]
[Linnaeus, 1758]
The (northern) pintail is a very elegant waterfowl and once was probably the most numerous duck species in the world.
It has a very obvious set of elongated central tail feathers which not only give it its English-speakers' common name of pintail but also its scientific name.
Anas means "duck" in Latin.
acutus literally means "sharp or pointed" in Latin (think of an acute angle or acute appendicitis...)
So, the (northern) pintail's scientific name literally means "sharp (or pointed) duck".
It has a very obvious set of elongated central tail feathers which not only give it its English-speakers' common name of pintail but also its scientific name.
Anas means "duck" in Latin.
acutus literally means "sharp or pointed" in Latin (think of an acute angle or acute appendicitis...)
So, the (northern) pintail's scientific name literally means "sharp (or pointed) duck".
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