Catches species around old city eminences (9)
I believe the answer is:
surprises
'catches' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'species around old city eminences' is the wordplay.
'species' becomes 'sp' (I've seen this in other clues).
'around' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'old city' becomes 'ur' (ancient city state).
'eminences' becomes 'rises' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'sp' enclosing 'ur' is 'surp'.
'surp'+'rises'='SURPRISES'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for surprises that I've seen before include "bowls over" , "Shocks" , "Sudden, unexpected events" , "unexpected things of life" , "Takes unawares" .)