adjective ˌkrɪptəˈzəʊɪkˌkrɪptəˈzoʊɪk
Ecology (of small invertebrates) living on the ground but hidden in the leaf litter under stones or pieces of wood.
〔生态〕（小无脊椎动物）隐居的，穴居的
scorpions are shy or cryptozoic
Example sentencesExamples
- The very luxuriance of the vegetation, however, with its unlimited hiding-places for cryptozoic animals, made the task of collection more difficult than it would have been in a clearer neighbourhood, where the animals are concentrated, as it were, in a comparatively few spots.
- This may account in part for the paucity of crepuscular to nocturnal or cryptozoic to fossorial skink lineages in the interior.
Derivatives
plural noun
Ecology As members of the cryptozoa, these species are generally unobtrusive and not noticed by the unsuspecting person - until large numbers of them start flying about on the breeze in summer and other times of year.
Example sentencesExamples
- Invertebrates also inhabit niches which are divided into times and spaces determining in turn the niches of their predators: there are actual ‘rush hours’ for cryptozoa, (an order of invertebrates): When they crawl from the forest floor to the canopy in the morning and back down again in the evening, hungry scorpions, frogs and spiders wait upon them at the foot of the tree!
- They are members of that large category of animals known descriptively (not taxonomically) as cryptozoa, or hidden animals.
- The term cryptozoa was coined by him to describe the light-abhorring animals found under logs or stones in damp, dark situations.
- Student supervision has involved projects in the general field of ecology of cryptozoa.
Origin
Late 19th century: from Greek kruptos 'hidden' + zōē 'life' + -ic.
adjective ˌkrɪptəˈzəʊɪkˌkrɪptəˈzoʊɪk
Geology Relating to or denoting the period (the Precambrian) in which rocks contain no, or only slight, traces of living organisms.
Compare with Phanerozoic
Example sentencesExamples
- The term ‘Precambrian’ is still used for Cryptozoic rocks, but tends to be applied loosely to formations lying beneath identified Cambrian strata and of uncertain age.
- The Cryptozoic rocks are exposed in the continental shield areas and show patterns of orogenic activity.
Origin
Early 20th century: from Greek kruptos 'hidden' + zōē 'life' + -ic.
adjectiveˌkrɪptəˈzoʊɪkˌkriptəˈzōik
Ecology (of small invertebrates) living on the ground but hidden in the leaf litter under stones or pieces of wood.
〔生态〕（小无脊椎动物）隐居的，穴居的
scorpions are shy or cryptozoic
Example sentencesExamples
- This may account in part for the paucity of crepuscular to nocturnal or cryptozoic to fossorial skink lineages in the interior.
- The very luxuriance of the vegetation, however, with its unlimited hiding-places for cryptozoic animals, made the task of collection more difficult than it would have been in a clearer neighbourhood, where the animals are concentrated, as it were, in a comparatively few spots.
Origin
Late 19th century: from Greek kruptos ‘hidden’ + zōē ‘life’ + -ic.
adjectiveˌkrɪptəˈzoʊɪkˌkriptəˈzōik
Geology Relating to or denoting the period (the Precambrian) in which rocks contain no, or only slight, traces of living organisms.
Compare with Phanerozoic
Example sentencesExamples
- The Cryptozoic rocks are exposed in the continental shield areas and show patterns of orogenic activity.
- The term ‘Precambrian’ is still used for Cryptozoic rocks, but tends to be applied loosely to formations lying beneath identified Cambrian strata and of uncertain age.
Origin
Early 20th century: from Greek kruptos ‘hidden’ + zōē ‘life’ + -ic.