Vaquita

/vəˈkiːtə/ noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A critically endangered porpoise, the smallest of its kind, Phocoena sinus, endemic to the northern part of the Gulf of California, Mexico.

    "THE world’s smallest porpoise may have a fighting chance. The vaquita might be saved from extinction by an agreement at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Portoroz, Slovenia, last week. Unique to the Gulf of California, the vaquita has seen its numbers collapse to 59 in 2015."

  2. 2
    a short porpoise that lives in the Gulf of California; an endangered species wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
phocoena sinus

Example

More examples

"The vaquita is a porpoise species endemic to Mexico, living in the northern end of the Gulf of California, and is considered to be in danger of extinction."

Etymology

From Spanish vaquita (“little cow”), diminutive of vaca (“cow”).

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