A psammophile (/ˈ(p)sæmoʊfaɪl/ (P)SAM-oh-fyle)[1] is a plant or animal that prefers or thrives in sandy areas.
They thrive in places such as the Arabian Peninsula and the Sahara[2] and also the dunes of coastal regions.
Because of the unique ecological selective pressures of sand, often times animals on opposite sides of the planet can convergently evolve similar features, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as ecomorphological convergence.
[4] In addition, the African jerboa and the American kangaroo rat have separately evolved a bipedal form with large hind legs that allow them to hop.
[5] With the correct spelling of the word psammophile, Florida eighth-grader Dev Shah, one of 231 contestants, won the 95th Scripps National Spelling Bee in June 2023 and was awarded $50,000 in prize money.