What meaning is encapsulated by the Latin derivation of the species name *exulans*?
Answer
Wandering or exiled
The species name *exulans* assigned to *Diomedea exulans* is directly derived from Latin, carrying the specific connotation of 'wandering' or 'exiled.' This nomenclature is highly descriptive because it perfectly encapsulates the bird's existence. The Wandering Albatross spends the vast majority of its life airborne over remote areas of the Southern Ocean, only returning to specific sub-Antarctic islands for the demanding process of breeding. Their lifestyle involves annual global peregrinations covering thousands of kilometers, making the description of being a perpetual wanderer or exile strikingly accurate regarding their remote, far-ranging existence away from stable terrestrial habitats.
Related Questions
What characteristics define the Class Aves grouping for the Wandering Albatross?What specific anatomical feature defines the Order Procellariiformes grouping?What physiological adaptation helps define Family Diomedeidae wingspans?How is the genus *Diomedea* generally characterized to separate it from *Thalassarche*?What meaning is encapsulated by the Latin derivation of the species name *exulans*?Which of these examples is cited as a recognized subspecies within *D. exulans* by Avibase?Which global authority is highlighted for documenting historical synonyms alongside the accepted binomial nomenclature?What is the estimated maximum longevity documented for individuals of *Diomedea exulans*?What reproductive trait and corresponding life history strategy define Family Diomedeidae?Which historical synonym mentioned might have previously been used for *D. exulans* but now refers to the Grey-headed Albatross?