epigean

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English

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Etymology

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From Ancient Greek ἐπίγειος (epígeios, earthly), from ἐπί (epí, on top of) + γαῖα (gaîa, earth).

Adjective

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epigean (not comparable)

  1. That lives on or near the surface of the land.
    • 2015 July 8, “Convergent Reduction of Ovariole Number Associated with Subterranean Life in Beetles”, in PLOS ONE[1], →DOI:
      For other Leptodirini, the contraction of the life cycle is less radical, being intermediate between this extreme and a epigean life cycle.

Coordinate terms

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Noun

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epigean (plural epigeans)

  1. Any organism that lives on or near the surface of the land.
    • 2015 July 8, “Convergent Reduction of Ovariole Number Associated with Subterranean Life in Beetles”, in PLOS ONE[2], →DOI:
      We also studied the female internal system for a species in the subgenus Aphaenops (Cerbaphaenops), and two species belonging to two other genera, one endogean (Geotrechus) and one epigean (Trechus).