caviar: …the golden eggs of the sterlet, was formerly reserved for the table of the tsar; more recently it found its way to the tables of Soviet dignitaries and that of the shah of Iran. Lesser grades of caviar, made from broken or immature eggs, are more heavily salted and compressed.…

sturgeon: Conservation status: The Chinese sturgeon is thought to be the species most at risk, because its population declined nearly 98 percent between 1973 and 2010. The species decline has been associated with water pollution in the Yangtze and dam construction that has blocked access to or changed the…

chondrostean: Distribution: The starry sturgeon (A. stellatus) occurs in rivers leading to the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Caspian Sea. The lake sturgeon of North America (A. fulvescens) occurs in the Mississippi River valley, in Lake Huron, and northward into Canada. The white, Oregon, or…

chondrostean: Distribution: The common sturgeon (Acipenser sturio; also known as the Atlantic, or Baltic, sturgeon) is found along the European coast from Norway to the Mediterranean Sea. A closely related form (A. oxyrinchus) is found along the east coast of North America from the St. Lawrence River to…

chondrostean: Distribution: …Oregon, or Sacramento sturgeon (A. transmontanus) inhabits the waters of the Pacific coast of North America from California to Alaska. The shovelnose sturgeons (genus Scaphirhynchus) occur in the Mississippi drainage system of North America. The Aral Sea shovelnose sturgeons (Pseudoscaphirhynchus) are found in rivers that drain into the

sturgeon, (family Acipenseridae), any of about 29 species of fishes of the family Acipenseridae (subclass Chondrostei), native to temperate waters of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species live in the ocean and ascend rivers (possibly once in several years) to spawn in spring or summer; a few others

fish: Annotated classification: Order Acipenseriformes (sturgeons and paddlefishes) Almost no internal ossification; scales as large scutes in isolated rows (Acipenseridae); snout enlarged and tactile (Polyodontidae); median fins chondrostean in having more fin rays than basal elements; tail heterocercal. Length (sturgeons) up to 6 metres (roughly 20 feet), weight to…

Acireale, town and episcopal see, eastern Sicily, Italy, on terraces above the Ionian Sea at the foot of Mount Etna, 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Catania. Known as Aquilia by the Romans, the town was called Reale by Philip IV of Spain in 1642. The first part of its name is derived from the ancient

Acis, in the Greek mythology of Ovid, the son of Faunus (Pan) and the nymph Symaethis. He was a beautiful shepherd of Sicily, the lover of the Nereid Galatea. His rival, Polyphemus the Cyclops, surprised them together and crushed him to pieces with a rock. His blood, gushing forth from beneath, was

serenata: …genre is Handel’s pastoral serenata Acis and Galatea (c. 1718).

Michel Fokine: …performance by his pupils, was Acis et Galatée, based on an ancient Sicilian legend. Fokine’s enthusiasm for antiquity owed nothing in origin to the “free dance” ideas of the American dancer Isadora Duncan, although her appearance in Russia in 1905 greatly consolidated his own views. In 1905 he also composed…

Robert Finch: …as did a later work, Acis in Oxford (1961), a series of meditations inspired by a performance of G.F. Handel’s dramatic oratorio Acis and Galatea. Dover Beach Revisited (1961), treating the World War II evacuation of Dunkirk and issues of faith, contains 11 variations on Matthew Arnold’s poem. In another…

10 Organisms Named for David Attenborough: Attenborough’s pintail: • What: striking blue and black dragonfly with intricately veined wings. An agile flier, the insect is common in rice paddies and near bodies of fresh water in its native range.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: Types: acquired (aCJD). Both sCJD and aCJD may be further divided into subtypes. The most common sCJD subtype is sCJDMM1. Subtypes of aCJD include iatrogenic (iCJD) and variant (vCJD) forms of the disease (kuru is sometimes considered a third subtype of aCJD).

francium: …an isotope of francium (francium-223) that was formerly called actinium K (AcK) and is a member of the actinium decay series. Though it is the longest-lived isotope of francium, francium-223 has a half-life of only 22 minutes. Thirty-four isotopes of francium with masses between 199 and 232 have been…

Lars Wivallius: …1632 and translates as “Ah, Liberty, Thou Noble Thing”) and love of nature (most notably the majestic “Klagovisa över denna torra och kalla vår” [1642; “Dirge over This Dry and Cold Spring”], in which the poet laments the season that he encountered upon his release from Kajaneborg).

ackee, (Blighia sapida), tree of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) native to West Africa, widely cultivated throughout tropical and subtropical regions for its edible fruit. Ackee and salt fish is a popular dish in the Caribbean and is the national dish of Jamaica. Taken to the Caribbean area with

Kathy Acker was an American novelist whose writing style and subject matter reflect the so-called punk sensibility that emerged in the 1970s. Acker’s novels combine autobiography and fiction that she deliberately plagiarized from other writers in an effort to dismantle concepts of identity and

J.R. Ackerley was a British novelist, dramatist, poet, and magazine editor known for his eccentricity. Ackerley’s education was interrupted by his service in World War I, during which he was captured and imprisoned for eight months in Germany. He graduated from Magdalen College, Cambridge, in 1921.

J.R. Ackerley was a British novelist, dramatist, poet, and magazine editor known for his eccentricity. Ackerley’s education was interrupted by his service in World War I, during which he was captured and imprisoned for eight months in Germany. He graduated from Magdalen College, Cambridge, in 1921.

Diane Ackerman is an American writer whose works often reflect her interest in natural science. Ackerman was educated at Pennsylvania State University (B.A., 1970) and Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. (M.F.A., 1973; M.A., 1976; Ph.D., 1978). From 1980 to 1983 she taught English at the University of

geography: Geography as a science: a new research agenda: …well to the war effort: Edward A. Ackerman, a professor of geography at the University of Chicago from 1948 to 1955 (and later head of the Carnegie Foundation), claimed that those working in the U.S. government’s intelligence service had only a weak understanding of their material and portrayed them as…

Johannes von Tepl: 1400; Death and the Ploughman), the first important prose work in the German language.

truck: Steering: Steering is always by the Ackermann system, which provides a kingpin for each front wheel. Maximum cramp angle of the front wheels is about 35 degrees. The minimum turning radius is dependent on the wheelbase. A few vehicles have been built with two steering axles in the front.

Timothée Chalamet: Red carpet fashion: …has favored such designers as Haider Ackermann, Alexander McQueen, and Stella McCartney. A few of Chalamet’s more daring looks included a Virgil Abloh sequin harness that he sported at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards and a cropped shimmering jacket from Louis Vuitton’s women’s wear line, under which he wore nothing,…

Konrad Ernst Ackermann was an actor-manager who was a leading figure in the development of German theatre. Conflicting accounts exist of Ackermann’s early adult years. He was probably not a trained scientist and surgeon, as has been widely reported, but was instead a soldier—and later an officer—in

Louise-Victorine Ackermann was a French poet who is best-known for works characterized by a deep sense of pessimism. Educated by her father in the philosophy of the Encyclopédistes, she traveled to Berlin in 1838 to study German and there married (1843) Paul Ackermann, an Alsatian philologist. Two

history of logic: Propositional and predicate logic: …Theoretical Logic”) by Hilbert and Wilhelm Ackermann.

William Albert “Bill” Ackman (born May 11, 1966, Chappaqua, New York, U.S.), is an American billionaire hedge fund manager. Ackman is the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Pershing Square Capital Management. Throughout his career, Ackman had a reputation as an activist investor—a

Miroslav Holub: … (1963; “The So-Called Heart”), and Ačkoli (1969; Although).

Peter Ackroyd is a British novelist, critic, biographer, and scholar whose technically innovative novels present an unconventional view of history. Ackroyd graduated from Clare College, Cambridge (M.A., 1971), and then attended Yale University for two years. In 1973 he returned to England and

anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), thick band of connective tissue that joins the femur to the tibia. Its primary function is to provide stability to the knee. Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are among the most common types of trauma affecting the knee, being especially common among

Chosen Women, in Inca religion, women who lived in temple convents under a vow of chastity. Their duties included the preparation of ritual food, the maintenance of a sacred fire, and the weaving of garments for the emperor and for ritual use. They were under the supervision of matrons called Mama

ARCHIVED TOPIC: This topic was archived on Dec. 15, 2021 and will no longer be updated. Since its creation on Jan. 19, 1920, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has often been at the center of controversy and public debate. They have taken on issues ranging from abortion, the death penalty,

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), organization founded by Roger Baldwin and others in New York City in 1920 to champion constitutional liberties in the United States. The ACLU works to protect Americans’ constitutional rights and freedoms as set forth in the U.S. Constitution and its

Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), international organization for computer science and information technology professionals and, since 1960, institutions associated with the field. Since 1966 ACM has annually presented one or more individuals with the A.M. Turing Award, the most prestigious

gastropod: Classification: …in rocky shallow waters (Acmaeidae and Patellidae). Superfamily Trochacea Small to large spiral shells in shallow to deep ocean waters, often brightly coloured, with or without heavy shell ornamentation; Trochidae (top shells), Turbinidae (turban shells), and Phasianellidae (pheasant shells

baseball: Segregation: …during 19th century were the Acme Colored Giants, who represented Celoron, New York, in the Iron and Oil Leagues in 1898.

Acmeist, member of a small group of early-20th-century Russian poets reacting against the vagueness and affectations of Symbolism. It was formed by the poets Sergey Gorodetsky and Nikolay S. Gumilyov. They reasserted the poet as craftsman and used language freshly and with intensity. Centred in St.

aegirine: In this series, the name acmite is given to crystals with the composition NaFeSi2O6 as well as to the reddish brown or greenish black pointed crystals approximating that composition. Aegirine generally is restricted to the dark green to greenish black, blunt crystals of the same composition. For detailed physical properties,…

Anglican Church in North America, Anglican church formed in 2009 in Bedford, Texas. Its founders were theological traditionalists who had seceded from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. Beginning in the 1990s, disputes about the validity within Anglican theology of ordaining

acne, any inflammatory disease of the sebaceous, or oil, glands of the skin. There are some 50 different types of acne. In common usage, the term acne is frequently used alone to designate acne vulgaris, or common acne, probably the most prevalent of all chronic skin disorders. Acne vulgaris

childhood disease and disorder: Disorders associated with adolescence: Acne vulgaris (common acne) is a prevalent skin condition that has its onset during adolescence. At puberty, androgenic stimulation of the skin’s sebaceous (oil) glands (which empty into the canals of the hair follicles) causes increased production of the fatty substance sebum. In susceptible individuals,…

North Atlantic Treaty Organization: Organization: …states, subsumes two strategic commands: Allied Command Operations (ACO) and Allied Command Transformation (ACT). ACO is headed by the SACEUR and located at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Casteau, Belgium. ACT is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. During the alliance’s first 20 years, more than $3 billion worth…

gastropod: Classification: Order Acochlidacea Three families with visceral mass longer than foot; 4 species in fresh water; a few with sexes in separate animals; size minute. Order Philinoglossacea No head appendages; gill lacking; no external shell; 2 families. Order Anaspidea Shell reduced

flatworm: Annotated classification: Order Acoela Exclusively marine; mouth present; pharynx simple or lacking; no intestine; without protonephridia, oviducts, yolk glands, or definitely delimited gonads; about 200 species. Order Neorhabdocoela Saclike linear intestine; protonephridia and oviducts usually present; gonads few, mostly compact; nervous system generally with 2 longitudinal

animal: Acoelomates: Flatworms (phyla Platyhelminthes, Nemertea, and Mesozoa) lack a coelom, although nemerteans have a fluid-filled cavity at their anterior, or head, end, which is used to eject the proboscis rapidly. The lack of a fluid-filled cavity adjacent to the muscles reduces the extent to which…

Acoemeti, monks at a series of 5th- to 6th-century Byzantine monasteries who were noted for their choral recitation of the divine office in constant and never interrupted relays. Their first monastery, at Constantinople, was founded in about 400 by St. Alexander Akimetes, who, after long study of

Acoemeti, monks at a series of 5th- to 6th-century Byzantine monasteries who were noted for their choral recitation of the divine office in constant and never interrupted relays. Their first monastery, at Constantinople, was founded in about 400 by St. Alexander Akimetes, who, after long study of

Texcoco: …Valley of Mexico by the Acolhuas, a pre-Columbian people of the Nahuatl-speaking group of tribes, which gained mastery of the valley after the collapse of the Toltec hegemony in the mid-12th century ad. The rulers of Texcoco were the first among Nahuatl tribal leaders to establish their rule over Anáhuac…

Acholi, ethnolinguistic group of northern Uganda and South Sudan. Numbering more than one million at the turn of the 21st century, they speak a Western Nilotic language of the Eastern Sudanic branch of the Nilo-Saharan family and are culturally and historically related to their traditional enemies,

acolyte, (from Greek akolouthos, “server,” “companion,” or “follower”), in the Roman Catholic church, a person is installed in a ministry in order to assist the deacon and priest in liturgical celebrations, especially the eucharistic liturgy. The first probable reference to the office dates from

Acoma, Indian pueblo, Valencia county, west-central New Mexico, U.S. The pueblo lies 55 miles (89 km) west-southwest of Albuquerque and is known as the “Sky City.” Its inhabitants live in terraced dwellings made of stone and adobe atop a precipitous sandstone butte 357 feet (109 metres) high. They

Ancestral Pueblo culture: Zuni, Acoma, and Laguna. As farmers, Ancestral Pueblo peoples and their nomadic neighbours were often mutually hostile; this is the source of the term Anasazi, a Navajo word meaning “ancestors of the enemy,” which once served as the customary scientific name for this group.

Michael Choniates was a Byzantine humanist scholar and archbishop of Athens whose extensive Classical literary works provide the principal documentary witness to the political turbulence of 13th-century Greece after its occupation by the Western Crusaders. Having studied at Constantinople

Nicetas Choniates was a Byzantine statesman, historian, and theologian. His chronicle of Byzantium’s humiliations during the Third and Fourth Crusades (1189 and 1204) and his anthology of 12th-century theological writings constitute authoritative historical sources for this period and established

African spiny mouse, (genus Acomys), any of more than a dozen species of small to medium-sized rodents characterized by the harsh, inflexible spiny hairs of their upperparts. African spiny mice have large eyes and ears and scaly, nearly bald tails that are shorter than or about as long as the body.

African spiny mouse: …golden spiny mouse and the Cairo spiny mouse (A. cahirinus).

African spiny mouse: The most restricted is A. cilicicus, which is known only from a single locality in southern Turkey.

African spiny mouse: …species native to East Africa, Kemp’s spiny mouse (A. kempi) and Percival’s spiny mouse (A. percivali), possess the ability to slough off patches of skin when attempting to escape capture from predators. The wounds that remain, which may be painful in appearance, may shrink dramatically within the first 24 hours…

African spiny mouse: kempi) and Percival’s spiny mouse (A. percivali), possess the ability to slough off patches of skin when attempting to escape capture from predators. The wounds that remain, which may be painful in appearance, may shrink dramatically within the first 24 hours after the injury. They are covered…

African spiny mouse: The golden spiny mouse (Acomys russatus), found from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, is one of the largest, with a body up to 25 cm (9.8 inches) long and a shorter tail of up to 7 cm. The Cape spiny mouse (A. subspinosus) of South Africa is…

African spiny mouse: The Cape spiny mouse (A. subspinosus) of South Africa is one of the smallest, with a body up to 10 cm long and a tail of less than 2 cm. Depending upon the species, fur covering the upperparts may be gray, grayish yellow, brownish red, or…

Aconcagua River, river in central Chile. It rises in the northwestern foothills of Mount Aconcagua of the Andes Mountains and flows westward from the Argentine border area to enter the Pacific Ocean north of the city of Viña del Mar after a course of 120 miles (190 km). Much of the Chilean trackage

Mount Aconcagua, mountain in western Mendoza province, west-central Argentina, on the Chilean border. It is the highest point in the Western Hemisphere. Aconcagua lies in the Southern Andes Mountains; although its peak is in Argentina, its western flanks build up from the coastal lowlands of Chile,

Mount Aconcagua, mountain in western Mendoza province, west-central Argentina, on the Chilean border. It is the highest point in the Western Hemisphere. Aconcagua lies in the Southern Andes Mountains; although its peak is in Argentina, its western flanks build up from the coastal lowlands of Chile,

Aconcagua River, river in central Chile. It rises in the northwestern foothills of Mount Aconcagua of the Andes Mountains and flows westward from the Argentine border area to enter the Pacific Ocean north of the city of Viña del Mar after a course of 120 miles (190 km). Much of the Chilean trackage

Jacobus Acontius was an advocate of religious toleration during the Reformation whose revolt took a more extreme form than that of Lutheranism. Acontius served as secretary to Cristoforo Madruzzo, a liberal cardinal. When the more conservative Paul IV became pope, Acontius repudiated Roman Catholic

metabolism: Formation of coenzyme A, carbon dioxide, and reducing equivalent: …and isocitrate—remain closely associated with aconitase, the enzyme that catalyzes the isomerization process, and that most of the cis-aconitate is not released from the enzyme surface but is immediately converted to isocitrate.

metabolism: Formation of coenzyme A, carbon dioxide, and reducing equivalent: …from citrate to form cis-aconitate and then the re-addition of water to cis-aconitate in such a way that isocitrate is formed. It is probable that all three reactants—citrate, cis-aconitate, and isocitrate—remain closely associated with aconitase, the enzyme that catalyzes the isomerization process, and that most of the cis-aconitate is…

monkshood, (genus Aconitum), genus of more than 200 species of showy perennial herbs of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). They occur in the north temperate zone, usually in partial shade and in rich soil. Some species are cultivated as ornamental plants, and several are used in traditional

aconite, any member of two genera of perennial herbs of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae): Aconitum, consisting of summer-flowering poisonous plants (see monkshood), and Eranthis, consisting of spring-flowering ornamentals (see winter

monkshood: Major species: …species contain the powerful poison aconitine. The common monkshood, or friar’s cap (A. napellus), native to mountain slopes in Europe and east to the Himalayas, has been the most important source of this drug, which in ancient times was administered to criminals and has been used in minute amounts for…

monkshood, (genus Aconitum), genus of more than 200 species of showy perennial herbs of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). They occur in the north temperate zone, usually in partial shade and in rich soil. Some species are cultivated as ornamental plants, and several are used in traditional

monkshood: Major species: …‘Sparks variety’ monkshood (Aconitum henryi), Carmichael’s monkshood (A. carmichaelii), and southern blue monkshood (A. uncinatum). All species contain the powerful poison aconitine. The common monkshood, or friar’s cap (A. napellus), native to mountain slopes in Europe and east to the Himalayas, has been the most important source of this drug,…

monkshood: Major species: …are cultivated in gardens, including ‘Sparks variety’ monkshood (Aconitum henryi), Carmichael’s monkshood (A. carmichaelii), and southern blue monkshood (A. uncinatum). All species contain the powerful poison aconitine. The common monkshood, or friar’s cap (A. napellus), native to mountain slopes in Europe and east to the Himalayas, has been the most

monkshood: Major species: The common monkshood, or friar’s cap (A. napellus), native to mountain slopes in Europe and east to the Himalayas, has been the most important source of this drug, which in ancient times was administered to criminals and has been used in minute amounts for reducing fever…

monkshood: Major species: carmichaelii), and southern blue monkshood (A. uncinatum). All species contain the powerful poison aconitine. The common monkshood, or friar’s cap (A. napellus), native to mountain slopes in Europe and east to the Himalayas, has been the most important source of this drug, which in ancient times was…

Tucumán: …province is occupied by the Sierra del Aconquija, which consists of northeast-southwest–trending outlying ridges of the Andes Mountains with elevations of 8,000 to 18,000 feet (2,400 to 5,500 metres). The eastern part of the province, by contrast, is flat, alluvial, and agriculturally fertile. Tucumán owes its prosperity to the Sierra…

Acontius, in Greek legend, a beautiful youth of the island of Ceos. During the festival of Artemis at Delos, Acontius saw and loved Cydippe, a girl of a rich and noble family. He wrote on an apple the words “I swear to wed Acontius” and threw it at her feet. She picked it up and mechanically read

Jacobus Acontius was an advocate of religious toleration during the Reformation whose revolt took a more extreme form than that of Lutheranism. Acontius served as secretary to Cristoforo Madruzzo, a liberal cardinal. When the more conservative Paul IV became pope, Acontius repudiated Roman Catholic

Jacobus Acontius was an advocate of religious toleration during the Reformation whose revolt took a more extreme form than that of Lutheranism. Acontius served as secretary to Cristoforo Madruzzo, a liberal cardinal. When the more conservative Paul IV became pope, Acontius repudiated Roman Catholic

Acorales, the sweet flag order of flowering plants and the most basal lineage among the monocotyledons (monocots), which are characterized by having a single seed leaf. This order contains the single family Acoraceae and one genus (Acorus), which comprises two to four species of plants that

Azores, archipelago and região autónoma (autonomous region) of Portugal. The chain lies in the North Atlantic Ocean roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 km) west of mainland Portugal. It includes nine major islands. The Azores are divided into three widely separated island groups: the eastern group,

acorn, nut of the oak. Acorns are usually seated in or surrounded by a woody cupule. They mature within one to two seasons, and their appearance varies depending on the species of oak. Acorns provide food for wildlife and are used to fatten swine and

acorn and nut weevil, (subfamily Curculioninae), any of approximately 45 species of weevils in the family Curculionidae (order Coleoptera) that have extremely long and slender snouts, which in females can be almost twice the length of the body. The mandibles are located at the tip of the snout.

barnacle: Acorn barnacles, also called rock barnacles, are sessile (not stalked); their symmetrical shells tend to be barrellike or broadly conical. This group includes Balanus, responsible for much of the fouling of ships and harbour structures. Wart barnacles, such as Verruca, have asymmetrical shells.

barnacle: Acorn barnacles, also called rock barnacles, are sessile (not stalked); their symmetrical shells tend to be barrellike or broadly conical. This group includes Balanus, responsible for much of the fouling of ships and harbour structures. Wart barnacles, such as Verruca, have asymmetrical shells.

acorn and nut weevil: acorn and nut weevil, (subfamily Curculioninae), any of approximately 45 species of weevils in the family Curculionidae (order Coleoptera) that have extremely long and slender snouts, which in females can be almost twice the length of the body. The mandibles are located at the tip…

woodpecker: The acorn woodpecker (M. formicivorus) is about 20 cm (8 inches) long and is found from the deciduous woodlands of western North America south to Colombia. It depends on acorns for winter food, storing a supply in holes it drills in the bark of trees. The…

acorn worm, any of the soft-bodied invertebrates of the class Enteropneusta, phylum Hemichordata. The front end of these animals is shaped like an acorn, hence their common name. The “acorn” consists of a muscular proboscis and a collar that may be used to burrow into soft sand or mud. The animals

acorn worm, any of the soft-bodied invertebrates of the class Enteropneusta, phylum Hemichordata. The front end of these animals is shaped like an acorn, hence their common name. The “acorn” consists of a muscular proboscis and a collar that may be used to burrow into soft sand or mud. The animals

Acorales: …Acoraceae and one genus (Acorus), which comprises two to four species of plants that resemble the irises.

Acorales: Acorus calamus (sweet flag) occurs in the wetlands of North America and from India to Indonesia. Other species are distributed in temperate areas in Asia and Europe, where they are often found at pond margins or along fast-moving streams.

acosmism, in philosophy, the view that God is the sole and ultimate reality and that finite objects and events have no independent existence. Acosmism has been equated with pantheism, the belief that everything is God. G.W.F. Hegel coined the word to defend Benedict de Spinoza, who was accused of

Joaquín Acosta was a Colombian scientist, historian, and statesman who sought to preserve knowledge of his country’s early history. Acosta entered a military career in 1819, becoming an officer in the patriot army under Simón Bolívar. He subsequently became a member of virtually all the scientific

José de Acosta was a Jesuit theologian and missionary to the New World known chiefly for his Historia natural y moral de las Indias (1590; Natural and Moral History of the Indies), the earliest survey of the New World and its relation to the Old. His works, missionary and literary, mark the zenith

Uriel Acosta was a freethinking rationalist who became an example among Jews of one martyred by the intolerance of his own religious community. He is sometimes cited as a forerunner of the renowned philosopher Benedict de Spinoza. The son of an aristocratic family of Marranos (Spanish and

acouchy, (genus Myoprocta), either of two species of South American rodents that resemble the small tropical-forest-dwelling hoofed animals of Africa and Asia (see royal antelope; chevrotain). Weighing 1 to 1.5 kg (2.2 to 3.3 pounds), acouchys are 30 to 39 cm (12 to 15 inches) long, with a very

acouchy, (genus Myoprocta), either of two species of South American rodents that resemble the small tropical-forest-dwelling hoofed animals of Africa and Asia (see royal antelope; chevrotain). Weighing 1 to 1.5 kg (2.2 to 3.3 pounds), acouchys are 30 to 39 cm (12 to 15 inches) long, with a very