fossorial
/fɒˈsɔːrɪəl
/adjective Zoology
1(Of an animal) burrowing.The only Australian fossorial mammal is the marsupial mole, Notoryctes typhlops (order Notoryctimorphia, family Notoryctidae)....
- The means of intraspecific communication in the insectivorous fossorial mammals clearly needs to be examined in more detail and is not addressed further here.
- Most mammals employing this behavior are subterranean, rather than simply fossorial; most fossorial mammals are limited to scratch digging.
1.1(Of limbs) adapted for use in burrowing.In insects with fossorial legs the fore legs and tibiae are specialized for digging.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from medieval Latin fossorius (from Latin fossor 'digger', from fodere 'to dig') + -al.