| 释义 |
gyrinid, n. and a. Ent.|dʒɪˈrɪnɪd|
[mod.L., f. Gyrinidæ, name of a family of Coleoptera.]
A. n. A member of the Gyrinidæ, a family of aquatic beetles; a whirligig beetle (see whirligig n. 4).
B. adj. Of, pertaining to, or designating a beetle of this kind.
1925Pap. Michigan Acad. Sci. V. 430 The first step that one must take in the study of gyrinid affinities is to divest the beetles of their adaptive characters. Ibid. 432 Nothing can be surer than that the gyrinids would never have developed in the absence of a surface habitat. 1943Brit. Jrnl. Psychol. Sept. 26 Gyrinid beetles,..maintain a constant general position [in flowing water] by means..of visual perception of the pattern of objects on the adjacent banks. 1955Borror & DeLong Introd. Study Insects xxii. 339 The gyrinids are oval black beetles that are commonly seen swimming in endless gyrations on the surface of ponds and quiet streams. |