largeeared

Largeeared, often written as large-eared, is a descriptive term used in biology to denote animals that have unusually large external ears relative to their body size. It is not a formal taxonomic category or rank, but appears in common names and descriptive passages across multiple animal groups. The spelling with or without a hyphen varies by source.

Etymology and usage: The term combines the adjective large with ear, emphasizing auricular prominence. It is most commonly applied to mammals, especially nocturnal species where hearing is important, but can also appear in descriptions of birds or other animals with conspicuous ears. Because it is descriptive rather than systematic, “largeeared” does not specify a lineage or evolutionary relationship.

Biological significance: Large ears can serve several functional roles. In many bats, prominent pinnae enhance echolocation, prey detection, and spatial orientation. In desert and arid-zone mammals, large ears can aid thermoregulation by increasing surface area for heat exchange, as well as improving acoustic localization in open habitats. In other species, large ears may play roles in social signaling or predator detection.

Taxonomic usage and examples: The descriptor appears in various common names, including some bats referred to as large-eared bats and some desert-dwelling jerboas described as large-eared jerboas. Because it is a descriptive label, exact scientific classification depends on formal taxonomy rather than the adjective alone.

See also: long-eared, ear morphology, echolocation, thermoregulation in mammals.