Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: DoctorBeaver on 21/06/2009 12:12:04

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 21/06/2009 12:12:04

Right, we have nocturnal & crepuscular for animals that are active at night and dawn/dusk respectively. But what about animals that are active during the day? Or at any time? Is there a word?

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: John Chapman on 21/06/2009 12:55:50

Yes. Isn't that what diurnal means?

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: John Chapman on 21/06/2009 13:01:21

Crepuscular. That's an interesting word that I've not come across before. Do you want some ointment on that?

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: LeeE on 22/06/2009 01:08:41

Yup, diurnal is the word.

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: neilep on 22/06/2009 09:01:25

Sheesh !..even I knew that ! [::)]

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 22/06/2009 13:22:53

Ah yes, diurnal for active anytime. But what about those that are only active during the day?

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: LeeE on 22/06/2009 17:28:31

Where did you get a definition that said active anytime?  All the primary definitions for it that I found say activity during daylight.

Diurnal can also refer to daily cycles, and so cover 24 hours, but being a cycle implies change during the period of the cycle (otherwise it's not cyclic but constant).  Diurnal, in this sense, could therefore be applied to nocturnal and crepuscular types as well, as they too are daily cycles; it's just that their high-points do not occur during daylight.

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 08/07/2009 19:26:24

LeeE - so how does that differentiate between those species active during daylight and those active all the time?

(I got the definition from an aninmal site)

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: LeeE on 10/07/2009 00:54:10

Umm... I would say that those animals active all the time have no cycle, as there is no periodic variation in their activity.

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 11/07/2009 05:27:21

Non-cyclic diurnalism is a bit of a mouthful but does sound very scientific [:D]

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: LeeE on 11/07/2009 17:20:08

Should it be 'non-cyclic' or 'non-cyclical?

I'm honestly not sure, but if we're going to do it, we should do it right [;D]

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 14/07/2009 09:08:39

Non-cyclical sounds more scientific.

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: Karen W. on 19/07/2009 09:18:24

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Whats_the_opposite_term_of_nocturnal

 Diurnal

The opposite is of Nocturnal is (Diurnal) ` meaning happening by day, coming out during the day, occurring every day'. Also animals which come out at twilight are called (Crepuscular).

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: lyner on 20/07/2009 12:58:24

le crépuscule:
French word for dusk.

Title: Is there an adjective for animals that are active during the day?
Post by: Karen W. on 28/07/2009 07:40:39

That's so lovely sounding! Don't ya think...?