potamogale

[ pot-uh-mog-uh-lee ]

noun

1. otter shrew.

Word History and Origins

Origin of potamogale¹

1875–80; < New Latin < Greek potamó ( s ) river + galê weasel

Example Sentences

Besides the large and conspicuous animals mentioned above, Africa possesses a number of completely isolated groups; such are the potamogale, a curious otter-like water-shrew, discovered by Du Chaillu in West Africa, so distinct as to constitute a new family, Potamogalid�; the goldenmoles, also forming a peculiar family, Chrysochlorid�; as do the elephant-shrews, Macroscelidid�; the singular aard-varks, or earth-pigs, forming a peculiar family of Edentata called Orycteropodid�; while there are numerous peculiar genera of monkeys, swine, civets, and rodents.

From Project Gutenberg