A-Z challenge 2022 - X is for Xenopus

Welcome to the conversations in my head with my friend Alice, previously seen in my 2019 A-Z posts and loosely based on Alice in Wonderland.  At least that's the plan.

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Right then Alice.  What is the x word you’ve chosen for me?

Xenopus.

What?  Are you sure that’s a word Alice?

Definitely is.

Hmm well according to google Xeno - means “alien,” “strange,” or “guest,” and is used in the formation of compound words so is it an alien cat Alice?

No, try again.

Strange octopus?

No it’s actually a species of frog.  Also known as the clawed frog.

Here’s the link to its Wikipedia page Xenopus - Wikipedia

A frog?!

I wanted something unusual.

Well it’s certainly that.  But it’s not a pretty thing.

Things don’t always have to be pretty Wendy to be interesting.  One of the things about this frog is that it uses its fore limbs to eat because it doesn’t use its tongue like most frogs do.

Weird.

It’s also very useful in scientific experiments.

Hmmm

It was used in the 1930s to 1950s in pregnancy tests.

Really?

You’re not the least bit interested are you Wendy?

I’m always interested in what you have to say Alice.  But a frog? 

Well surely it’s more interesting than some of the other words on the list?

Can’t we just talk about x-rays or xylophones?  At least everyone knows what they are.  Frog should have been in the first week of the challenge not the last.

But it’s a xenopus. 

If you say so Alice.  Hopefully we haven’t bored our readers to tears and they’ll be back tomorrow.

I’ve got a great word for tomorrow Wendy.

Hmm we'll see about that.