List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names
Encyclopedia
This list of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names is intended to help those unfamiliar with classical languages to understand and remember the scientific names of organisms. The binomial nomenclature
used for animal
s and plant
s is largely derived from Latin
and Greek
words, as are some of the names used for higher taxa
, such as orders
and above. At the time when biologist Carolus Linnaeus
(1707–1778) published the books which are now accepted as the starting point of binomial nomenclature, Latin was used in Western Europe
as the common language of science, and scientific names were in Latin or Greek: Linnaeus continued this practice.
Although Latin is now largely unused except by classical scholars, or for certain purposes in botany
, medicine and the Roman Catholic Church
, Latin can still be found in scientific names. It is helpful to be able to understand the source of scientific names. While the Latin names do not always correspond to the current English common names, they are often related, and if their meanings are understood, they are easier to recall.
Often a genus
name or specific
descriptor is simply the Latin or Greek name for the animal (e.g. Canis is Latin for a dog). These words are not included in the table below, because they will only occur for one or two taxa. Instead, the words listed below are the common adjectives and other modifiers that repeatedly occur in the scientific names of many organisms (in more than one genus).
Only root words are listed, while variants are omitted. So, verus is listed without the variants for Aloe vera
or Galium verum. Words that are very similar to their English forms have also been omitted.
Binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...
used for animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s and plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s is largely derived from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
words, as are some of the names used for higher taxa
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
, such as orders
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
and above. At the time when biologist Carolus Linnaeus
Carolus Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
(1707–1778) published the books which are now accepted as the starting point of binomial nomenclature, Latin was used in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
as the common language of science, and scientific names were in Latin or Greek: Linnaeus continued this practice.
Although Latin is now largely unused except by classical scholars, or for certain purposes in botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, medicine and the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Latin can still be found in scientific names. It is helpful to be able to understand the source of scientific names. While the Latin names do not always correspond to the current English common names, they are often related, and if their meanings are understood, they are easier to recall.
Often a genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
name or specific
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
descriptor is simply the Latin or Greek name for the animal (e.g. Canis is Latin for a dog). These words are not included in the table below, because they will only occur for one or two taxa. Instead, the words listed below are the common adjectives and other modifiers that repeatedly occur in the scientific names of many organisms (in more than one genus).
Only root words are listed, while variants are omitted. So, verus is listed without the variants for Aloe vera
Aloe vera
Aloe vera, pronounced , also known as the true aloe or medicinal aloe, is a species of succulent plant in the genus Aloe that is believed to have originated in the Sudan. Aloe vera grows in arid climates and is widely distributed in Africa, India, Nepal and other arid areas.The species is...
or Galium verum. Words that are very similar to their English forms have also been omitted.
A
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| acaulis | G | Stemless | Stemless Gentian Gentiana acaulis Gentiana acaulis is a small gentian native to central and southern Europe from Spain east to the Balkans, growing especially in mountainous regions, such as the Alps, Cevennes and the Pyrenees, at heights of 800 to 3,000 m.... , Gentiana acaulis; Dwarf Thistle Cirsium Cirsium is a genus of perennial and biennial flowering plants in the Asteraceae, one of several genera known commonly as thistles. They are more accurately known as Plume thistles. These differ from other thistle genera in having feathered hairs to their achenes... , Cirsium acaule |
| acutus | L | Sharpened, pointed | American Crocodile American Crocodile The American crocodile is a species of crocodilian found in the Neotropics. It is the most widespread of the four extant species of crocodiles from the Americas. Populations occur from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico to South America as far as Peru and Venezuela. It also lives... , Crocodylus acutus; Angled Sunbeam (Butterfly) Curetis acuta The Angled Sunbeam Curetis acuta is a species of butterfly belong to the lycaenid family. It is found in Asia.-Distribution:South India. Pachhmari. Mussoories to Dawnas. Assam, China, Hainan, Taiwan, Japan. Possibly North Burma and Indo China.... , Curetis acuta; Northern Pintail Northern Pintail The Pintail or Northern Pintail is a widely occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator... duck, Anas acuta |
| agrestis | G | Of the field, wild | Field Vole Field Vole The field vole or short-tailed vole, Microtus agrestis, is a grey-brown vole, around 110mm in length, with only a short tail. They are one of the most common mammals in Europe, ranging from the Atlantic coast to Lake Baikal. They are found in moist grassy habitats, such as woodland, marsh, or... , Microtus agrestis; Green Field-speedwell, Veronica agrestis |
| albus | L | White | American White Ibis American White Ibis The American White Ibis is a species of wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae. It occurs from the mid-Atlantic and Gulf coast of the United States south through most of the New World tropics... , Eudocimus albus; White Oak, Quercus alba; Mistletoe Viscum album Viscum album is a species of mistletoe, the species originally so-named, and also known as European Mistletoe or Common Mistletoe to distinguish it from other related species... , Viscum album |
| americanus | L | American | American Black Bear American black bear The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in... , Ursus americanus; American Hazel Nut, Corylus americana |
| amphi- | G | Of all kinds, on all sides | Amphipoda Amphipoda Amphipoda is an order of malacostracan crustaceans with no carapace and generally with laterally compressed bodies. The name amphipoda means "different-footed", and refers to the different forms of appendages, unlike isopods, where all the legs are alike. Of the 7,000 species, 5,500 are classified... ; Amphibian Amphibian Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods... |
| ampulla | L | Bottle, flask | Northern Bottlenose Whale Bottlenose whale The Northern bottlenose whale is a species of the ziphiid family, one of two members of the Hyperoodon genus. The northern bottlenose was hunted heavily by Norway and Britain in the 19th and early 20th centuries... , Hyperoodon ampullatus |
| anthropos | G | Man, human being | Paranthropus Paranthropus The robust australopithecines, members of the extinct hominin genus Paranthropus , were bipedal hominids that probably descended from the gracile australopithecine hominids... |
| apis | L | bee | Salvia apiana, white sage |
| aquaticus | L | Found near water | Eastern Mole Eastern Mole The eastern mole or common mole is a medium-sized, overall grey North American mole and the only member of the genus Scalopus. Its large, hairless, spade shaped forefeet are adapted for digging... , Scalopus aquaticus |
| archaeos, archaeo- | G | Ancient | Archaeopteryx Archaeopteryx Archaeopteryx , sometimes referred to by its German name Urvogel , is a genus of theropod dinosaur that is closely related to birds. The name derives from the Ancient Greek meaning "ancient", and , meaning "feather" or "wing"... |
| arctos | G | Bear | Grizzly Bear Grizzly Bear The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America... , Ursus arctos horribilis; Common Bearberry Bearberry Bearberries are three species of dwarf shrubs in the genus Arctostaphylos. Unlike the other species of Arctostaphylos , they are adapted to Arctic and sub-Arctic climates, and have a circumpolar distribution in northern North America, Asia and Europe, one with a small highly disjunctive population... , Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, with names for this species including Kinnikinnick and Pinemat manzanita, one of several related species referred to as Bearberry... |
| argentatus | L | Silvery | Herring Gull, Larus argentatus |
| arthron | G | Joint | Arthropoda |
| arvensis | L | In the field | Skylark Skylark The Skylark is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range,... , Alauda arvensis |
| astron, astro-, astero- | G | Star | Starfish (class), Asteroidea |
| aureus | L | Golden, gold coin | Golden Jackal Golden Jackal The golden jackal , also known as the common jackal, Asiatic jackal, thos or gold-wolf is a Canid of the genus Canis indigenous to north and northeastern Africa, southeastern and central Europe , Asia Minor, the Middle East and southeast Asia... , Canis aureus; Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive coccal bacterium. It is frequently found as part of the normal skin flora on the skin and nasal passages. It is estimated that 20% of the human population are long-term carriers of S. aureus. S. aureus is the most common species of... (bacteria) |
| australis | L | Southern | Southern Right Whale Southern Right Whale The southern right whale is a baleen whale, one of three species classified as right whales belonging to the genus Eubalaena. Like other right whales, the southern right whale is readily distinguished from others by the callosities on its head, a broad back without a dorsal fin, and a long arching... , Eubalaena australis |
B
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| baccatus | L | Berry-bearing | Common Yew, Taxus baccata; Conus baccatus Conus baccatus Conus baccatus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.Like all species within the genus Conus, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or... , a sea snail |
| blandus | L | Pleasant, smooth, alluring | Greek Windflower, Anemone blanda; Mallos Mallos Mallos may refer to:* Mallos, a form of Saint Dane, character in the Pendragon series by D.J. MacHale* Mallos , an ancient city in Anatolia* Mallos de Riglos, a set of rock formations in Huesca province in Spain... blandus, a spider |
| borealis | L | Northern | Northern Right Whale Dolphin Northern Right Whale Dolphin The Northern right whale dolphin is a small and slender species of marine mammal found in the North Pacific Ocean. The Northern right whale dolphin travels in groups of up to 2000, often with other cetaceans, in deep waters of the North Pacific... , Lissodelphis borealis |
| brachion | G | Arm | Przewalski's Gerbil Przewalski's Gerbil Przewalski's Gerbil is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Brachiones.It is found only in China.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007.... , Brachiones przewalskii; Brachiopoda (phylum); Brachiosaurus Brachiosaurus Brachiosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic Morrison Formation of North America. It was first described by Elmer S. Riggs in 1903 from fossils found in the Grand River Canyon of western Colorado, in the United States. Riggs named the dinosaur Brachiosaurus altithorax,... |
| brachys, brachy- | G | Short | Brazilian Gold Frog Brazilian Gold Frog The Brazilian gold frog , also known as Izecksohn's toad, is the smallest frog in the Southern Hemisphere. It was previously called Psyllophryne didactyla.... , Brachycephalus didactylus |
| bradys, brady- | G | Slow | Pygmy Three-toed Sloth Pygmy Three-toed Sloth The Pygmy Three-toed Sloth is a three-toed sloth. It is endemic to Isla Escudo de Veraguas, an island off the coast of Panama, which separated from the mainland nearly 8900 years ago. The species is thought to have originated from isolation of individuals from the mainland population of Bradypus... , Bradypus pygmaeus |
| branchia | LG | Gills | Lamellibranchia (class, syn. Bivalva); Branchiopoda Branchiopoda Branchiopoda is a class of crustaceans. It is the sister group to the remaining crustaceans, and comprises fairy shrimp, clam shrimp, Cladocera, Notostraca and the Devonian Lepidocaris... (class, brine shrimps) |
| brevis | L | Short | Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Silvery-cheeked Hornbill The Silvery-cheeked Hornbill is a large bird at in length with a very large creamy casque on the beak. The female has a smaller casque and reddish skin around the eyes. The head is silver-grey and the rest of the plumage is iridescent black, except for the white rump, lower back, thighs, vent and... , Ceratogymna brevis |
C
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| caecus | L | Blind | Blind Mole Blind Mole The Blind Mole , also known as the Mediterranean Mole, is a mole found in the Mediterranean region. It is similar to the European Mole, differing most prominently in having eyes covered with skin. It is found in Albania, France, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Montenegro, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia,... , Talpa caeca; Northern Eyed Hawkmoth Smerinthus Smerinthus is a genus of moths and part of the Sphingidae.-Species:* - Austaut, 1890*Smerinthus caecus - Menetries, 1857*Smerinthus cerisyi - Kirby, 1837*Smerinthus jamaicensis -... , Smerinthus caecus |
| caeruleus | L | Blue | Blue Tit Blue Tit The Blue Tit is a 10.5 to 12 cm long passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands... , Parus caeruleus; Blue Passion Flower Passiflora caerulea Passiflora caerulea, commonly known as the Blue Passion Flower or the Common Passion Flower, is a vine native to South America... , Passiflora caerulea |
| canadensis | L | From Canada | Bighorn Sheep Bighorn Sheep The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae... , Ovis canadensis |
| canis | L | Dog | Coyote Coyote The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada... , Canis latrans; Dipylidium caninum Dipylidium caninum Dipylidium caninum, also called the cucumber tapeworm or the double-pore tapeworm, is a cyclophyllid cestode that infects organisms afflicted with fleas, including canids, felids, and pet-owners, especially children. Adult worms are about 18 inches long... (a tapeworm) |
| canus | L | Gray (haired), pale gray | Grey-headed Woodpecker Grey-headed Woodpecker The Grey-headed Woodpecker , also known as the Grey-faced Woodpecker, is a Eurasian member of the woodpecker family Piciformes.... , Picus canus; Woolly Groundsel, Senecio Senecio Senecio is a genus of the daisy family that includes ragworts and groundsels. The flower heads are normally rayed, completely yellow, and the heads are borne in branched clusters... canus |
| cauda | L | Tail | Long-tailed Tit Long-tailed Tit The Long-tailed Tit or Long-tailed Bushtit is a common bird found throughout Europe and Asia. There are several extensive accounts of this species, most notably Cramp and Perrins, 1993; Gaston, 1973; and Harrap and Quinn, 1996... , Aegithalos caudatus; Thintail Skate Thintail skate The thintail skate is a species of fish in the Rajidae family. It is endemic to Brazil. Its natural habitat is open seas.-Source:* Rincon, G. & Mazzoleni, R. 2004. . Downloaded on 3 August 2007.... , Dipturus leptocaudus |
| caulos | G | Stem, stalk | Stemless Gentian Gentiana acaulis Gentiana acaulis is a small gentian native to central and southern Europe from Spain east to the Balkans, growing especially in mountainous regions, such as the Alps, Cevennes and the Pyrenees, at heights of 800 to 3,000 m.... , Gentiana acaulis |
| cephale, cephalo- | G | Head | Mediterranean Gull Mediterranean Gull The Mediterranean Gull, Ichthyaetus melanocephalus, is a small gull which breeds almost entirely in Europe, mainly in the south east, especially around the Black Sea, and in central Turkey. There are colonies elsewhere in southern Europe, and this species has undergone a dramatic range expansion in... , Larus melanocephalus; Blue-Spotted Grouper Blue-Spotted Grouper Cephalopholis argus, also known as: Blue-spotted Grouper, Argus Grouper, Peacock Hind, Peacock Grouper or Peacock Rockcod is a fish from the Indo-Pacific which is variously a commercial gamefish, an invasive species and occasionally an aquarium resident... , Cephalopholis argus |
| ceps | L | Head | Pygmy Sperm Whale Pygmy Sperm Whale The Pygmy Sperm Whale is one of three species of toothed whale in the sperm whale family. They are not often sighted at sea, and most of what is known about them comes from the examination of stranded specimens.-Taxonomy:... , Kogia breviceps |
| ceros | G | Horn | Narwal, Monodon monoceros |
| cestus | L | Girdle, belt | Cestoda Cestoda This article describes the flatworm. For the medical condition, see Tapeworm infection.Cestoda is the name given to a class of parasitic flatworms, commonly called tapeworms, of the phylum Platyhelminthes. Its members live in the digestive tract of vertebrates as adults, and often in the bodies... |
| chilensis | L | From Chile | Paradise Tanager Paradise Tanager The Paradise Tanager, Tangara chilensis, is a brilliantly multicolored, medium-sized songbird whose length varies between 13.5 and 15 cm. It has a light green head, sky blue underparts and black upper body plumage. Depending on subspecies, the rump is yellow and red or all red... , Tangara chilensis |
| chloros | G | Green | Common Moorhen Common Moorhen The Common Moorhen is a bird in the Rallidae family with an almost worldwide distribution. The North and South American Committees of the AOU and the IOC have voted on or before July 2011 to split the American forms into a new species Common Gallinule, however, no other committee has voted to... , Gallinula chloropus |
| chroma | G | Color | Clown Loach Clown loach The clown loach, Chromobotia macracanthus, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Cobitidae family. It is the sole member of the Chromobotia genus. It originates in inland waters in Indonesia on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo... , Chromobotia macracanthus |
| cneme | G | Shin, leg | White-legged Damselfly White-legged Damselfly The White-legged Damselfly or Blue Featherleg, Platycnemis pennipes, is a damselfly of slow-flowing, muddy waters. It occurs from the Atlantic to Siberia and is often abundant throughout its range.-Morphology:P. pennipes is about long... , Platycnemis pennipes |
| cola | L | Dweller | Eurasian Woodcock Eurasian Woodcock The Eurasian Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola, is a medium-small wading bird found in temperate and subarctic Eurasia. It has cryptic camouflage to suit its woodland habitat, with reddish-brown upperparts and buff-coloured underparts... , Scolopax rusticola |
| corax | G | Crow, raven | Common Raven Common Raven The Common Raven , also known as the Northern Raven, is a large, all-black passerine bird. Found across the northern hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all corvids... , Corvus corax |
| coronatus | L | Crowned | Crowned Lemur Crowned Lemur The crowned lemur is a lemur that is 31–36 cm long and weighs 2 kg. Its tail is about 42–51 cm long). The crowned lemur is endemic to the dry deciduous forests of the northern tip of Madagascar. It eats a diet of mostly flowers, fruits, and leaves... , Eulemur coronatus |
| costatus | L | Ribbed | Striped Raphael catfish Striped Raphael catfish Striped Raphael catfish, Platydoras armatulus, is a catfish of the family Doradidae. It may also be called talking catfish, chocolate doradid, chocolate catfish or thorny catfish... , Platydoras costatus |
| crass- | L | Thick | Creeping Blueberry, Vaccinium crassifolium |
| cristatus | L | Crested | Aardwolf Aardwolf The aardwolf is a small, insectivorous mammal, native to Eastern and Southern Africa. The name means "earth wolf" in Afrikaans/Dutch. It is also called "maanhaar jackal". It is related to hyenas, but unlike its relatives, it does not hunt large prey. This unusual animal preys on insects... , Proteles cristatus |
| crocos | G | Yellow | Saffron Saffron Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel... , Crocus sativus; Bicoloured White-toothed Shrew Bicolored Shrew The Bicolored Shrew or Bicoloured White-toothed Shrew is a species of mammal in the Soricidae family. It is found in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia , Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Liechtenstein,... , Crocidura leucodon |
| cyanos | G | Blue-green | Azure-winged Magpie Azure-winged Magpie The Azure-winged Magpie is a bird in the crow family. It is 31–35 cm long and similar in overall shape to the European Magpie but is more slender with proportionately smaller legs and bill. It belongs to the monotypical genus Cyanopica.It has a glossy black top to the head and a white throat... , Cyanopica cyana |
D
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| dactylos | G | Finger or toe | Black-legged Kittiwake Black-legged Kittiwake The Black-legged Kittiwake is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae.This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Larus tridactylus.... , Rissa tridactyla |
| deca | G | Ten | Alfonsino Alfonsino The alfonsino or alfonsin, Beryx decadactylus, is a deepwater fish of the family Berycidae that inhabits temperate and tropical ocean waters nearly worldwide, with the exception of the eastern Pacific. More generally, the name is also used to denote any member of the family Berycidae.Alfonsinos... , Beryx decadactylus |
| decem | L | Ten | Colorado Potato Beetle Colorado potato beetle The Colorado potato beetle , also known as the Colorado beetle, the ten-striped spearman, the ten-lined potato beetle or the potato bug, is an important pest of potato crops. It is approximately 10 mm long, with a bright yellow/orange body and five bold brown stripes along the length of each... , Leptinotarsa decemlineata |
| derma | G | Skin | Yellow Staining Mushroom, Agaricus xanthodermus |
| di- | G | Two | Christmas Orchid Dipodium punctatum Dipodium punctatum is a native orchid of Australia.... , Dipodium punctatum |
| didelphis | G | Double-wombed | Didelphis virginiana |
| dino-, deino- | G | Terrible | dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of... , Deinotherium Deinotherium Deinotherium , also called the Hoe tusker, was a large prehistoric relative of modern-day elephants that appeared in the Middle Miocene and continued until the Early Pleistocene. During that time it changed very little... |
| diplo- | G | Double | Two-eyed Orange Spider Diploglena Diploglena is a spider genus with one single species, Diploglena capensis that is endemic to South Africa and neighboring nations... , Diploglena capensis |
| disc-, disk- | G | Disc | Common Fungus Moth Metalectra discalis The Common Fungus Moth is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found from Quebec and Wisconsin to Maine, south to Florida, west to Texas and Missouri, north to Ontario.... , Metalectra discalis |
| dodeca | G | Twelve | Henderson's Shootingstar Dodecatheon hendersonii Dodecatheon hendersonii is a species of Dodecatheon native to western North America, from California north to southern British Columbia and Idaho. In California, it occurs in the northwest , the Cascade Range, the Sierra Nevada foothills, the Central Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area, the north... , Dodecatheon hendersonii |
| dolicho- | G | Elongated, long | Knight Anole Knight Anole The knight anole is a species of lizard in the Polychrotidae family, and the largest species of anole. Other common names include Cuban knight anole.-Geographic range:... , Anolis dolichocephalus |
| domesticus | L | From the house, domestic | House Sparrow House Sparrow The House Sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the House Sparrow occurs naturally in most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia... , Passer domesticus |
| dorsum | L | Back | Back-striped Weasel, Mustela strigidorsa |
| dulcis | L | Sweet | Almond Almond The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree... , Prunus dulcis |
E
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| eburneus, eburni- | L | Ivory-colored | Ivory Gull Ivory Gull The Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea is a small gull, the only species in its genus. It breeds in the high arctic and has a circumpolar distribution through Greenland, northernmost North America, and Eurasia.-Taxonomy:... , Pagophila eburnea |
| echinatus | G | Prickly, spiny | Edisto Crayfish, Procambarus echinatus; Shortleaf Pine Shortleaf Pine Pinus echinata is a species of pine native to the eastern United States from southern New York south to northern Florida, west to the extreme southeast of Kansas, and southwest to eastern Texas. The tree is variable in form, sometimes straight, sometimes crooked, with an irregular crown... , Pinus echinata |
| echinos, echino- | G | Hedgehog, sea-urchin, spiny | Great Globe Thistle Echinops sphaerocephalus Echinops sphaerocephalus, known by the common name Great globe thistle or Pale globe-thistle, is a species of globe thistle belonging to the family Asteraceae.-Etymology:... , Echinops sphaerocephalus; Diadema Urchin Echinothrix diadema The Diadema Urchin is a long spined urchin, with a diameter of about 8 cm. It is generally black in colour, and always dark. The spines are closed at the tip; the anal sac is spotted light and dark.... , Echinothrix diadema; San Pedro Cactus Echinopsis pachanoi The San Pedro cactus is a fast-growing columnar cactus native to the Andes Mountains of Peru between 2000–3000 m in altitude. It is also found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador, and it is cultivated in other parts of the world... , Echinopsis pachanoi |
| edulis | L | Edible | Oyster Oyster The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified.... , Ostrea edulis; Common Cockle Cockle (bivalve) Cockle is the common name for a group of small, edible, saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Cardiidae.Various species of cockles live in sandy sheltered beaches throughout the world.... , Cerastoderma edule, Passion Fruit Passiflora edulis Passiflora edulis is a vine species of passion flower that is native to Paraguay, Brazil and northern Argentina . Its common names include passion fruit and passionfruit... , Passiflora edulis |
| elatior | L | Taller | True Oxlip Primula elatior Primula elatior, the oxlip , is a flowering plant in the genus Primula, found in nutrient- and calcium-rich damp woods and meadows throughout Europe with northern bordes in Denmark and southern parts of Sweden, eastwards to Altai Mountains and on the Kola Peninsula in Russia... , Primula elatior |
| electr- | G | 1. Amber, amber-colored; 2. Electric (modern usage) |
Broad-billed Motmot Electron (bird) Electron is a genus of the motmots, a family of Neotropical near passerine birds. The genus has two species:* Keel-billed Motmot, Electron carinatum* Broad-billed Motmot, Electron platyrhynchumBoth inhabit humid evergreen tropical forest... , Electron platyrhynchum; Electric Eel Electric eel The electric eel , is an electric fish, and the only species of the genus Electrophorus. It is capable of generating powerful electric shocks, of up to six hundred volts, which it uses for both hunting and self-defense. It is an apex predator in its South American range... , Electrophorus electricus |
| elegans | L | Elegant | Crimson Rosella Crimson Rosella The Crimson Rosella is a parrot native to eastern and south eastern Australia which has been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. It is commonly found in, but not restricted to, mountain forests and gardens. The species as it now stands has subsumed two former separate species, the Yellow... , Platycercus elegans |
| enanti | G | Opposite | Enantiornithes Enantiornithes Enantiornithes is an extinct group of primitive birds. They were the most abundant and diverse avialans of the Mesozoic. Almost all retained teeth and clawed fingers on each wing, but otherwise looked much like modern birds externally. Over 50 species of Enantiornithines have been named, but some... |
| ennea | G | Nine | Scurvy-grass Sorrel Scurvy-grass Sorrel Oxalis enneaphylla, the scurvy-grass sorrel, is a late spring- and summer-flowering, tuberous, alpine perennial herbaceous plant native to the grasslands of South America. It is a small plant that grows to high and across. The flowers have an almond scent, and the greens are edible but have a... , Oxalis enneaphylla; Banded Sunfish Banded sunfish The banded sunfish is a freshwater fish of the family, Centrarchidae. They can grow as an adult to become 2-3 inches long.-Description:... Enneacanthus obesus |
| ensatus | L | Sword-like | California Giant Salamander California Giant Salamander The California Giant Salamander is a species of salamander in the Dicamptodontidae family.It is endemic to the United States. The species name once additionally included individuals now belonging to the species D. aterrimus and D... , Dicamptodon ensatus |
| ensi-, ensis | L | Sword, lance | Jackknife Clam Jackknife clam The jackknife clam, Ensis minor, is a long, smooth-shelled, burrowing clam found on Atlantic and Pacific beaches. Theses clams are often collected for food. Ensis minor can grow up to 17 cm. in length. It is white, sometimes with reddish-brown markings.... , Ensis minor; Swordleaf Rush Juncus Juncus is a genus in the plant family Juncaceae. It consists of some 200 to 300 or more species of grassy plants commonly called rushes... , Juncus ensifolius |
| erectus | L | Upright | Homo erectus Homo erectus Homo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that lived from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about . The species originated in Africa and spread as far as India, China and Java. There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H... ("upright man"); Upright Chickweed Upright chickweed The Erect Chickweed , also called Upright Chickweed , is a small annual plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. It can grow to over 10 cm in height, but it is usually smaller. It has blue-green glaucous leaves, and small, delicate white flowers... , Moenchia erecta |
| erion, erio- | G | Wool, woolly | Common Cottongrass Common Cottongrass Common Cottongrass is a plant from the sedge family, so even though it looks like a form of grass, technically it is not. It grows in acidic wetlands and peat bogs all over northern parts of Europe, Asia and North America... , Eriophorum angustifolium |
| erosus | L | Indented, jagged, serrated | Jícama Jícama Pachyrhizus erosus, commonly known as Jícama , Yam, and Mexican Turnip, is the name of a native Mexican vine, although the name most commonly refers to the plant's edible tuberous root. Jícama is one species in the genus Pachyrhizus. Plants in this genus are commonly referred to as yam bean,... , Pachyrhizus erosus; Serrated Hinge-back Tortoise, Kinixys erosa |
| erythros, erythro- | G | Red | Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank The Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythropus, is a wader in the large bird family Scolopacidae. It breeds across northern Scandinavia and northern Asia and migrates south to the Mediterranean, the southern British Isles, France, tropical Africa, and tropical Asia for the winter... , Tringa erythropus; Dog's-tooth Violet Erythronium dens-canis Erythronium dens-canis is a small herbaceous flowering plant in the Liliaceae, native to Europe, where it is the only naturally occurring species.... , Erythronium dens-canis |
F
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| familiaris | L | Domestic, common | Dog Dog The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in... , Canis lupus familiaris |
| felis | L | Cat | Black-footed Cat Black-footed Cat The black-footed cat is the smallest African cat, and is endemic in the south west arid zone of the southern African subregion. It is one of the lesser studied African carnivores, and has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN since 2002.... , Felis nigripes; Cat flea Cat flea The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is one of the most abundant and widespread species of flea on Earth.-Overview:The cat flea's primary host is the domestic cat, but this is also the primary flea infesting dogs in most of the world. The cat flea can also maintain its life cycle on other... , Ctenocephalides felis |
| flavus | L | Golden yellow, light yellow | Yellow Pitcher Plant Sarracenia flava Sarracenia flava, the Yellow pitcher plant, is a carnivorous plant in the family Sarraceniaceae. Like all the Sarraceniaceae, it is native to the New World. Its range extends from southern Alabama, through Florida and Georgia, to the coastal plains of southern Virginia, North Carolina and South... , Sarracenia flava; Yellow-necked Mouse Yellow-necked mouse The Yellow-necked Mouse Apodemus flavicollis is closely related to the wood mouse, with which it was long confused, only being recognised as a separate species in 1894. It differs in its band of yellow fur around the neck and in having slightly larger ears and usually being slightly larger overall.... , Apodemus flavicollis |
| flor- | L | Flower | Southern Magnolia Southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as the southern magnolia or bull bay, is a tree of the family Magnoliaceae native to the southeastern United States, from coastal Virginia south to central Florida, and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma... , Magnolia grandiflora; Great White Trillium Trillium grandiflorum Trillium grandiflorum, commonly known as white trillium, great white trillium, white wake-robin, or in French as trille blanc, is a perennial monocotyledonous plant in the lily family... , Trillium grandiflorum |
| folium | L | Leaf | American Beech American Beech Fagus grandifolia, also known as American Beech or North american beech, is a species of beech native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario in southeastern Canada, west to Wisconsin and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida in the United States. Trees in the... , Fagus grandifolia |
| fulvus | L | Deep yellow, tawny | Pacific Golden Plover Pacific Golden Plover The Pacific Golden Plover is a medium-sized plover.The 23–26 cm long breeding adult is spotted gold and black on the crown, back and wings. Its face and neck are black with a white border and it has a black breast and a dark rump. The legs are black... , Pluvialis fulva; Yellow Ground Squirrel Yellow Ground Squirrel The yellow ground squirrel is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family. It is found in Afghanistan, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.... , Spermophilus fulvus |
| fuscus | L | Dark, dark brown | Sooty Tern Sooty Tern The Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscatus , is a seabird of the tern family . It is a bird of the tropical oceans, breeding on islands throughout the equatorial zone. Colloquially, it is known as the Wideawake Tern or just wideawake... , Sterna fuscata; Dusky Hopping Mouse Dusky Hopping Mouse The Dusky Hopping Mouse is an Australian native rodent specialised for the deep desert. Like all hopping mice it has strong front teeth, a long tail, dark eyes, big ears, well-developed haunches and very long, narrow hind feet. It weighs between . The Dusky Hopping Mouse has four pads on its soles... , Notomys fuscus |
G
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| gaster, gastro-, gastr- | G | Belly | Common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster Drosophila melanogaster Drosophila melanogaster is a species of Diptera, or the order of flies, in the family Drosophilidae. The species is known generally as the common fruit fly or vinegar fly. Starting from Charles W... |
| geo- | G | Earth | Geography Geography Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes... , Geology Geology Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates... |
| glabra | L glaber | Smooth; hairless | Smooth Sumac Rhus glabra Rhus glabra is a species of sumac in the family Anacardiaceae, native to North America, from southern Quebec west to southern British Columbia in Canada, and south to northern Florida and Arizona in the United States and Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico.One of the easiest shrubs to identify... , Rhus glabra; Omphiscola glabra Omphiscola glabra Omphiscola glabra is a species of small to medium-size, air-breathing, freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae.-Distribution:This European snail can be found from southern Scandinavia to southern Spain.... (a snail) |
| glycys | G | Sweet | Soybean Soybean The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses... , Glycine max |
| gyrinos | G | Tadpole | Spring Salamander Spring Salamander The Spring Salamander is a species of salamander in the Plethodontidae family. The specific name is Latin from Greek, meaning the color of porphyry, a purple stone, and this salamander has also been called the purple salamander.It is found in Canada and the United States.Its natural habitats are... Gyrinophilus porphyriticus; e.g. Crassigyrinus Crassigyrinus Crassigyrinus is an extinct genus of carnivorous stem tetrapod from the Early Carboniferous of Scotland and possibly Greer, West Virginia. The type specimen was originally described as Macromerium scoticum and lacked a complete skull... , Proterogyrinus Proterogyrinus Proterogyrinus was an anthracosaur, a large group of reptilian reptiliomorphs. It is likely that the first reptiles, such as Petrolacosaurus, evolved from reptilomorphs... |
H
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| haema-, hema- | G | Blood | Haemosporida; Bacteria sp., Haemophilus influenzae Haemophilus influenzae Haemophilus influenzae, formerly called Pfeiffer's bacillus or Bacillus influenzae, Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium first described in 1892 by Richard Pfeiffer during an influenza pandemic. A member of the Pasteurellaceae family, it is generally aerobic, but can grow as a facultative anaerobe. H... |
| hali-, halio- | G | Of the sea, salt | Grey Seal Grey Seal The grey seal is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus... , Halichoerus grypus; Black Abalone Black Abalone The black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii, is a species of large edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.... , Haliotis cracherodii |
| haplo- | G | Simple, single | Mountain Beaver Mountain Beaver The Mountain Beaver is the most primitive extant rodent. Not to be confused with the North American beaver Castor canadensis, or its relative the Eurasian beaver, Castor fiber, it has several common names including Aplodontia, Boomer, Ground Bear, and Giant Mole... , Apoldontia rufa; Mongolosaurus haplodon |
| hedra- | G | Seat, facet | Chinese Ephedra, Ephedra sinica; (Polyhedron Polyhedron In elementary geometry a polyhedron is a geometric solid in three dimensions with flat faces and straight edges... ; Tetrahedron Tetrahedron In geometry, a tetrahedron is a polyhedron composed of four triangular faces, three of which meet at each vertex. A regular tetrahedron is one in which the four triangles are regular, or "equilateral", and is one of the Platonic solids... ) |
| heli-, helio- | G | Sun | Sunflower Sunflower Sunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence . The sunflower got its name from its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun. The sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads... , Helianthus annuus; Sun Spurge Sun Spurge Euphorbia helioscopia is a species of spurge native to most of Europe, northern Africa, and eastward through most of Asia.... , Euphorbia helioscopia |
| hexa- | G | Six | Water Primrose Ludwigia hexapetala The Water Primrose, Ludwigia hexapetala, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. Native to Central and South America, its habitat includes the margins of lakes, ponds, ditches, and streams. Its stems may be immersed or fully emergent. It is a noxious invader of aquatic ecosystems... , Ludwigia hexapetala |
| hippo- | G | Horse | Seahorse Seahorse Seahorses compose the fish genus Hippocampus within the family Syngnathidae, in order Syngnathiformes. Syngnathidae also includes the pipefishes. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek hippos meaning "horse" and kampos meaning “sea monster”.There are nearly 50 species of seahorse... , Hippocampus; Lesser Horseshoe Bat Lesser horseshoe bat The Lesser Horseshoe Bat , is a type of European bat related to but smaller than its cousin, the Greater Horseshoe Bat... , Rhinolophus hipposideros |
| hirsutus | L | Hairy | Hairy Bittercress, Cardamine hirsuta; Hairy Fruit-eating Bat Hairy Fruit-eating Bat The Hairy Fruit-eating Bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is endemic to Mexico. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Chiroptera Specialist Group 2000. . Downloaded on 30 July 2007.... , Artibeus hirsutus |
| homo | L | Human, man | Modern human, Homo sapiens; Neanderthal Neanderthal The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia... , Homo neanderthalensis |
| hortensis | L | From the garden | Orphean Warbler Orphean Warbler The Orphean Warbler, Sylvia hortensis, is a typical warbler of the genus Sylvia. This species occurs in summer around the Mediterranean, through Turkey and the Caucasus and extending into Central Asia. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa... , Sylvia hortensis |
| hydro- | G | Water | Chinese Water Deer, Hydropotes inermis |
| hyper- | G | Over, above | St John's Wort St John's wort St John's wort is the plant species Hypericum perforatum, and is also known as Tipton's Weed, Chase-devil, or Klamath weed.... , Hypericum perforatum |
| hypo-, hyp- | G | Under, beneath | Zebra Pleco catfish Zebra Pleco Hypancistrus zebra, gets its name from its black and white stripes, resembling the colouration of a zebra. It is a species of catfish endemic to the Big Bend area of the Xingu River, a tributary of the Amazon River, and was first described in the early 1990s. This fish was exported from Brazil in... , Hypancistrus zebra; Common Cat's-ear, Hypochoeris radicata |
I
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| indicus | L | Indian | Malaysian Tapir, Tapirus indicus |
K
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| kestos (see Latin cestus) | G | Girdle, literally "stitched" | Cestoda Cestoda This article describes the flatworm. For the medical condition, see Tapeworm infection.Cestoda is the name given to a class of parasitic flatworms, commonly called tapeworms, of the phylum Platyhelminthes. Its members live in the digestive tract of vertebrates as adults, and often in the bodies... |
L
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| lateralis | L | Side | Black-flanked Rock-wallaby Black-flanked Rock-wallaby The Black-flanked Rock-wallaby , also known as the Black-footed Rock-wallaby or Warru, is a kind of wallaby, one of several rock-wallabies in the genus Petrogale.-Description:... , Petrogale lateralis |
| latus | L | Flank | Horse-eye jack Horse-eye jack The Horse-eye Jack, Caranx latus, is a gamefish and minor commercial fish in the family Carangidae. It is also known as the Big-eye jack, and is similar in appearance to the Crevalle jack, although the head of a Horse-eye jack is not as blunt... , Caranx latus |
| lepis | G λεπίς | a scale, rind, husk, flake | Liza macrolepis Large-scale mullet |
| lepton | G | Light | Leptictidium auderiense, Leptospira kirschneri |
| lepus | L | Hare | Black-tailed Jackrabbit Black-tailed Jackrabbit The black-tailed jackrabbit , also known as the american desert hare, is a common hare of the western United States and Mexico, where it is found at elevations from sea level to up to... , Lepus californicus |
| leucos | G | White | White-winged Tern White-winged Tern The White-winged Tern, or White-winged Black Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus, is a small tern generally found in or near bodies of fresh water across from Southeastern Europe east to Australia.... , Chlidonias leucopterus |
| lineatus | L | Lined or striped | Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle The Colorado potato beetle , also known as the Colorado beetle, the ten-striped spearman, the ten-lined potato beetle or the potato bug, is an important pest of potato crops. It is approximately 10 mm long, with a bright yellow/orange body and five bold brown stripes along the length of each... , Leptinotarsa decemlineata |
| luteus | L | Yellow, saffron-colored | alochortus luteus|Yellow mariposa lily], Calochortus luteus; Yellow Vetch Vicia lutea Vicia lutea is a plant species of the genus Vicia. It is native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, and it is known on other continents as an introduced species. It is an annual herb. It has leaves made up of several pairs of oblong or linear leaflets each 1 to 2 centimeters long... , Vicia lutea; Red-billed Leiothrix Red-billed Leiothrix The Red-billed Leiothrix, Leiothrix lutea, is a member of the Old World babbler family. It is a common cagebird and amongst aviculturists it goes by various names: Pekin Robin, Pekin Nightingale, Chinese Nightingale, Japanese Nightingale, and Japanese Robin, the last two being misnomers as it is... , Leiothrix lutea |
M
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| macro | G | Long, Large | Big-headed Mole Rat Big-headed Mole Rat Tachyoryctes macrocephalus, also known as the Big-headed Mole Rat, Giant Root-rat, Ethiopian African Mole Rat, or Giant Mole-rat, is a species of rodent in the Spalacidae family.It is endemic to Ethiopia's Bale Mountains... , Tachyoryctes macrocephalus |
| maculatus | L | Spotted | Spotted Sandpiper Spotted Sandpiper The Spotted Sandpiper is a small shorebird, 18–20 cm long. Together with its sister species, the Common Sandpiper they make up the genus Actitis... , Actitis macularius |
| major | L | Greater | Great Tit Great Tit The Great Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa in any sort of woodland. It is generally resident, and most Great Tits do not migrate except in extremely... , Parus major |
| malabaricus | L | From Malabar | Chestnut-tailed Starling Chestnut-tailed Starling The Chestnut-tailed Starling or Grey-headed Myna is a member of the starling family of perching birds. It is a resident or partially migratory species found in wooded habitats in India and Southeast Asia. The species name is after the distribution of a former subspecies in the Malabar region... , Sturnus malabaricus |
| mauro- | G | Dark, Black | Dark Shrew, Crocidura maurisca |
| maximus | L | Largest | Royal Tern Royal Tern The Royal Tern is a seabird in the tern family Sternidae. This bird has two distinctive subspecies. T. m. maximus breeds on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the southern USA and Mexico into the Caribbean. The slightly smaller T. m. albididorsalis breeds in coastal west Africa... , Sterna maxima |
| megas | G | Large, great | Megalodon Megalodon The megalodon and ὀδούς ) is an extinct species of shark that lived roughly from 28 to 1.5 million years ago, during the Cenozoic Era .The taxonomic assignment of C... shark, Carcharodon megalodon |
| mephitis | L | Bad odor | Striped skunk Striped Skunk The striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, is an omnivorous mammal of the skunk family Mephitidae. Found over most of the North American continent north of Mexico, it is one of the best-known mammals in Canada and the United States.-Description:... , Mephitis mephitis |
| melano- | G | Black | Black-browed Albatross Black-browed Albatross The Black-browed Albatross or Black-browed Mollymawk, Thalassarche melanophrys, is a large seabird of the albatross family Diomedeidae, and it is the most widespread and common albatross.-Taxonomy:... , Thalassarche melanophris |
| micro | G | small | Littleleaf Pussytoes Antennaria Antennaria is a genus of about 45 species of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Asteraceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species in temperate southern South America; the highest species diversity is in North America... , Antennaria microphylla |
| minimus | L | Smallest | Least Flycatcher Least Flycatcher The Least Flycatcher , , is a small insect-eating bird... , Empidonax minimus |
| minor | L | Smaller | Great Frigatebird Great Frigatebird The Great Frigatebird is a large dispersive seabird in the frigatebird family. Major nesting populations are found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as a population in the South Atlantic.... , Fregata minor |
| mono- | G | Single | Swinhoe's Storm-petrel Swinhoe's Storm-petrel Swinhoe's Storm Petrel, Oceanodroma monorhis also known as Swinhoe's Petrel is a small seabird of the storm-petrel family Hydrobatidae.... , Oceanodroma monorhis |
| montanus | L | Mountains | Tree Sparrow Tree Sparrow The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape, and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version of the adult... , Passer montanus |
| morpho- | G | Shape | Menelaus Blue Morpho Morpho (butterfly) A Morpho butterfly may be one of over 80 species of butterflies in the genus Morpho. They are Neotropical butterflies found mostly in South America as well as Mexico and Central America. Morphos range in wingspan from the 7.5 cm M. rhodopteron to the imposing 20 cm Sunset Morpho, M.... , Morpho menelaus |
| mys | G | Mouse | As rodent Rodent Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing.... , e.g. Phoberomys, Telicomys Telicomys Telicomys is an extinct genus of rodent from South America.With a length of more than in T. gigantissimus, it contains two or three of the largest rodents that ever lived, along with Phoberomys, Josephoartigasia, and the giant beaver... . |
N
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| nanos | G | Dwarf | Brown-capped Woodpecker Brown-capped Woodpecker The Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker is a species of woodpecker found in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka.-Description:A small brown and white woodpecker with distinctive pink-rimmed white irises. Barred brown and white above, lightly streaked dirty white below. Tail spotted white... , Dendrocopos nanus |
| nona | L | Ninth | Honey Fungus Honey fungus Honey fungus, or Armillaria or оpenky , is a genus of parasitic fungi that live on trees and woody shrubs. It includes about 10 species formerly lumped together as A. mellea. Armillarias are long lived and form some of the largest living organisms in the world... Armillaria nabsnona |
| nothos | G | False, wrong | Bluefin Notho Killifish Killifish A killifish is any of various oviparous cyprinodontiform fish . Altogether, there are some 1270 different species of killifish, the biggest family being Rivulidae, containing more than 320 species... , Nothobranchius rachovii; New Zealand Red Beech Nothofagus fusca Nothofagus fusca is a species of Nothofagus, endemic to New Zealand, where it occurs on both the North Island and South Island. Generally it is found on lower hills and inland valley floors where soil is fertile and well drained.It is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 35 m tall... , Nothofagus fusca |
| notos | G | Southern | Fawn Hopping Mouse Fawn Hopping Mouse The Fawn Hopping Mouse is a rodent native to the central Australian desert. Like all hopping mice it has strong front teeth, a long tail, dark eyes, big ears, well-developed haunches and very long, narrow hind feet. It weighs between... , Notomys cervinus |
| novaehollandiae | L | From New Holland (Australia) New Holland (Australia) New Holland is a historic name for the island continent of Australia. The name was first applied to Australia in 1644 by the Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman as Nova Hollandia, naming it after the Dutch province of Holland, and remained in use for 180 years.... |
Emu Emu The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia... , Dromaius novaehollandiae |
| novaeseelandiae | L | From New Zealand | Southern Boobook Southern Boobook The Southern Boobook , also called the Mopoke, Morepork, Ruru or Tasmanian Spotted Owl, is a small brown owl found throughout New Zealand, Tasmania, across most of mainland Australia and in Timor, southern New Guinea and nearby islands.The bird has almost 20 alternative common names, most of which... Ninox novaeseelandiae |
| noveboracensis | L | From New York (Novum Eboracum Eboracum Eboracum was a fort and city in Roman Britain. The settlement evolved into York, located in North Yorkshire, England.-Etymology:The first known recorded mention of Eboracum by name is dated circa 95-104 AD and is an address containing the Latin form of the settlement's name, "Eburaci", on a wooden... ) |
Northern Waterthrush Northern Waterthrush The Northern Waterthrush is one of the larger New World warblers. It breeds in the northern part of North America in Canada, and in the northern United States, . This bird is migratory, wintering in Central America, the West Indies, and Florida; also Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador... , Seiurus noveboracensis |
| novem | L | Nine | Nine-banded Armadillo Nine-banded Armadillo The nine-banded armadillo , or the nine-banded, long-nosed armadillo, is a species of armadillo found in North, Central, and South America, making it the most widespread of the armadillos... , Dasypus novemcinctus |
O
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| obscurus | L | Dark | Dusky Dolphin Dusky Dolphin The dusky dolphin is a dolphin found in coastal waters in the Southern Hemisphere. Its specific epithet is Latin for "dark" or "dim". It is very closely genetically related to the Pacific white-sided dolphin, but current scientific consensus is that they are distinct species... , Lagenorhynchus obscurus |
| occidentalis | L | Western | Eastern Arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis |
| ocean | G | Ocean | Posidonia oceanica Posidonia oceanica Posidonia oceanica is a seagrass species that is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. It forms large underwater meadows that are an important part of the ecosystem. The fruit is free floating and known in Italy as 'the olive of the sea'... |
| octo-, octa- | G | Eight | Common Octopus Common Octopus The Common Octopus is the most studied of all octopus species. Its natural range extends from the Mediterranean Sea and the southern coast of England to at least Senegal in Africa. It also occurs off the Azores, Canary Islands, and Cape Verde Islands.- Characteristics :O. vulgaris grows to 25 cm... , Octopus vulgaris |
| -odon, -odus | G , | Tooth | Dimetrodon Dimetrodon Dimetrodon was a predatory synapsid genus that flourished during the Permian period, living between 280–265 million years ago .... , Rhizodus Rhizodus Rhizodus is an extinct genus of a rhizodont, a branch of the Sarcopterygii, the bony vertebrate clade that also includes tetrapods.... |
| oeso- | G | Carry | Oesophagostomum Oesophagostomum Oesophagostomum species are free-living nematodes of the family Strongyloidae. These worms occur in Africa, Brazil, China, Indonesia and the Philippines. The majority of human infection with Oesophagostomum is localized to northern Togo and Ghana... , Oesophagostomum bifurcum |
| officinalis | L | For the workshop; medicinal | Rosemary Rosemary Rosemary, , is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs, and is one of two species in the genus Rosmarinus... , Rosmarinus officinalis |
| oleum | L | Oil | Jack O'Lantern mushroom Jack o'lantern mushroom Omphalotus olearius, commonly known as the jack-o'-lantern mushroom, is an orange- to yellow-gill mushroom that to an untrained eye appears similar to some chanterelles, and is most notable for its bioluminescent properties. Unlike the chanterelle, the Jack o'Lantern mushroom is poisonous... , Omphalotus olearius |
| ophis | G | Serpent | Carphophis vermis Carphophis vermis Carphophis vermis is a small, nonvenomous colubrid snake native to the United States.- Physical description :Western worm snakes have a dark, black or purplish dorsal coloration, with a pink or reddish underside... Western wormsnake |
| ops | G ὤψ | Face | Triceratops Triceratops Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene... |
| opsis | G | Face, appearance, resemblance | Carolina Parakeet Carolina Parakeet The Carolina Parakeet was the only parrot species native to the eastern United States. It was found from the Ohio Valley to the Gulf of Mexico, and lived in old forests along rivers. It was the only species at the time classified in the genus Conuropsis... , Conuropsis carolinensis |
| orientalis | L | Eastern | Oriental cockroach Oriental cockroach The oriental cockroach is a large species of cockroach, measuring about in length at maturity. It is dark brown to black in colour and has a glossy body... , Blatta orientalis |
| ortho- | G | Straight | Orthoptera Orthoptera Orthoptera is an order of insects with paurometabolous or incomplete metamorphosis, including the grasshoppers, crickets and locusts.Many insects in this order produce sound by rubbing their wings against each other or their legs, the wings or legs containing rows of corrugated bumps... |
P
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| pachy- | G | Thick, stout | Pachycephalosaurus Pachycephalosaurus Pachycephalosaurus is a genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaur. It lived during the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now North America. Remains have been excavated in Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming. It was an herbivorous or omnivorous creature which is only known from a single skull and a few... |
| palustris | L | Of the marsh | Mugger Crocodile Mugger Crocodile The mugger crocodile , also called the Indian, Indus, Persian, or marsh crocodile, is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries... , Crocodylus palustris |
| pan- panto- | G | All | Pancratium (a flower) |
| parvus | L | Small | Mountain Pygmy Possum Mountain Pygmy Possum The Mountain Pygmy Possum is a small, mouse-sized nocturnal marsupial of Australia found in dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields, mainly southern Victoria and around Mount Kosciuszko in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales at elevations from 1300 to 2230 m... , Burramys parvus |
| pedi- | L pes, pedis | Foot | Showy Lady Slipper, Cypripedium reginae |
| pelag- | G | Open sea | Pelagic Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant The Pelagic Cormorant , also known as Baird's Cormorant, is a small member of the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. Analogous to other smallish cormorants, it is also called Pelagic Shag occasionally... , Phalacrocorax pelagicus |
| penn- | L penna | Feather (specifically remex) | Great Auk Great Auk The Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis, formerly of the genus Alca, was a large, flightless alcid that became extinct in the mid-19th century. It was the only modern species in the genus Pinguinus, a group of birds that formerly included one other species of flightless giant auk from the Atlantic Ocean... , Pinguinus impennis |
| pennatus | L | Feathered | Booted Eagle Booted Eagle The Booted Eagle is a medium-sized bird of prey. It is about in length and has a wingspan of . Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae.... , Aquila pennata |
| penta- | G | Five | Five-Fingered Skink Chalcides pentadactylus Chalcides pentadactylus, or Five-Fingered Skink, is a species of skink found in the Western Ghats of India. Females of the species are viviparous, meaning that they give birth to live young.... , Chalcides pentadactylus |
| petra | G | Rock, stone | Rock Daisy, Erigeron Erigeron Erigeron is a genus of about 390 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with the highest species diversity in North America, where 173 species occur.... petrophilus; Roberts's Flat-headed Bat Roberts's Flat-headed Bat The Roberts's Flat-headed Bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is found in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and a small part of western Mozambique. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, and rocky areas. It is threatened by habitat loss... , Sauromys petrophilus |
| phago | G φάγο | eat | Scatophagus tetracanthus African scat (fish) |
| pholis, pholid- | L | Scale | Green-Spotted Grouper, Cephalopholis argus |
| phyllo- | G | Leaf | Garden Lupin, Lupinus polyphyllus |
| physi- | G | Nature | Symphysia ("naturally joined") (a plant) |
| phyto- | G | Plant | Astrophytum Astrophytum Astrophytum is a genus of six species of cacti. These species are sometimes referred to as living rocks, though the term is also used for other genera, particularly Lithops . The generic name is derived from the Greek words άστρον , meaning "star," and φυτόν , meaning "plant."-Species:* Astrophytum... , Astrophytum myriostigma (a cactus) |
| platy- | G | Flat and broad | Flathead Trout, Salmo platycephalus |
| poly- | G | Many | Common Knotgrass Polygonum aviculare Polygonum aviculare or Common Knotgrass is a plant related to buckwheat and dock. It is also called birdweed, pigweed and lowgrass. It is an annual found in fields and wasteland, with white flowers from June to October.... , Polygonum aviculare; Polymer Polymer A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds... |
| pratensis | L | To the meadow | Meadow Foxtail Meadow Foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, known as the Meadow Foxtail or the Field Meadow Foxtail, is a perennial grass, belonging to the grass family . It is native to Europe and Asia.... , Alopecurus pratensis |
| protos | G | First | Protozoa Protozoa Protozoa are a diverse group of single-cells eukaryotic organisms, many of which are motile. Throughout history, protozoa have been defined as single-cell protists with animal-like behavior, e.g., movement... |
| pseudes | G | False or fake | Pastel flower, Pseuderanthemum variabile Pseuderanthemum variabile Pseuderanthemum variabile is a species of plant in the Acanthaceae family. Its natural habitat is the floor of rainforest or wet eucalyptus forest of northern and eastern Australia, north of Bega, New South Wales. Common names include Pastel Flower and Love Flower.- Description :A small ground... |
| pter- | G | Wing or remix | White-winged Tern White-winged Tern The White-winged Tern, or White-winged Black Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus, is a small tern generally found in or near bodies of fresh water across from Southeastern Europe east to Australia.... , Chlidonias leucopterus |
| pubescens | L | Downy | Downy Oak Downy Oak Quercus pubescens, the Downy Oak or Pubescent Oak, is an oak in the white oak section of the genus, Quercus sect. Quercus. It is native to southern Europe and southwest Asia, from northern Spain east to the Crimea and the Caucasus. It is also found in France and parts of central... , Quercus pubescens |
| pulchellus | L | Pretty little | Green Pygmy Goose Green Pygmy Goose The Green Pygmy Goose is a small perching duck which breeds in southern New Guinea and northern Australia.First described in 1842 by the ornithologist John Gould, its specific name is derived from diminutive of the Latin adjective pulcher "pretty". It is one of three species in the Afro-Asian... , Nettapus pulchellus |
| punctatus | L | Spotted | Thirteen-spotted Lady Beetle Thirteen-spotted lady beetle Hippodamia tredecimpunctata, commonly known as the thirteen-spotted lady beetle, is a species of lady beetle. Adult lady beetles have domed backs, mainly oval, often shiny with short legs and antennae. They have two wing covers. They are usually red to orange in color. This species has thirteen... , Hippodamia tredecimpunctata |
R
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| repandus | L | Curved upwards, turned up | Peruvian Apple Cactus, Cereus repandus; Hedgehog Mushroom, Hydnum repandum |
| repens | L | 1. Creeping, crawling (rēpens); 2. Unexpected (rĕpens) |
Creeping Buttercup Creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens is a flowering plant in the buttercup family, native to Europe, Asia and northwestern Africa. It is also called Creeping Crowfoot and Sitfast.-Growth:... , Ranunculus repens; White Clover White clover Trifolium repens, the white clover , is a species of clover native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia... , Trifolium repens |
| reptans | L | Creeping, crawling | Creeping Cinquefoil Creeping Cinquefoil Potentilla reptans, known as the creeping cinquefoil, European cinquefoil or creeping tormentil, is a plant in the Rosaceae family.... , Potentilla reptans; Reptilia |
| rhis, rhino- | G | Nose | Orange Leaf-nosed Bat Orange Leaf-nosed Bat The Orange Leaf-nosed Bat, Rhinonicteris aurantia, is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae. It is the only living species in the genus Rhinonicteris. It is endemic to Australia.-References:... , Rhinonicteris aurantia |
| rhiza | G | Root | Bushy Seedbox Ludwigia helminthorrhiza Ludwigia helminthorrhiza, known commonly as Bushy seedbox and Rattlebox, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. Native to south Mexico and South America, its habitat includes wet, swampy localities.-External links:... , Ludwigia helminthorrhiza; Rhizobium Rhizobium Rhizobium is a genus of Gram-negative soil bacteria that fix nitrogen. Rhizobium forms an endosymbiotic nitrogen fixing association with roots of legumes and Parasponia.... (nitogen-fixing soil bacteria) |
| rhynchos | G | Beak or snout | Mallard Mallard The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia.... , Anas platyrhynchos |
| rhyti-, rhytis | G | Wrinkled, folded | Shaggy Moss, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus; Rhytidodon Rutiodon Rutiodon is an extinct genus of archosaur belonging to the family Phytosauridae. It lived during the Late Triassic period, and was about 10 to 25 feet in length... (syn. Rutiodon) |
| rostra | L | Beak, bill, snout | Common Crossbill Common Crossbill The Common Crossbill is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It breeds in the spruce forests of North America, where it is known as Red Crossbill, as well as Europe and Asia; some populations breed in pine forests in certain areas of all three continents, and in North... , Loxia curvirostra |
| rostralis | L | With a beak | Buttoned Snout moth Hypena Hypena is a genus of moths in the Noctuidae family. This genus includes the former Bomolocha species. These are not migratory, overwinter as pupae and are among the few Noctuidae species that almost never come to bait.-Selected species:Extant:... , Hypena rostralis |
| ruber | L | Red | Red Valerian, Centranthus ruber; Summer Tanager Summer Tanager The Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra, is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family , it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family... , Piranga rubra; Red Maple Red Maple Acer rubrum , is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern North America. It ranges from the Lake of the Woods on the border between Ontario and Minnesota, east to Newfoundland, south to near Miami, Florida, and southwest to east Texas... , Acer rubrum |
| rufus | L | Reddish, red | Red Wolf Red Wolf The red wolf is a North American canid which once roamed throughout the Southeastern United States and is a glacial period survivor of the Late Pleistocene epoch... , Canis rufus |
S
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| sanguis | L | Blood | Bloodroot Bloodroot Bloodroot is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant native to eastern North America from Nova Scotia, Canada southward to Florida, United States... , Sanguinaria canadensis |
| sapiens | L | Wise | recent subspecies Subspecies Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one... of human Human Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus... s: Homo sapiens sapiens ("very wise man") |
| sativus | L | Sown, cultivated | Pea Pea A pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas. Peapods are botanically a fruit, since they contain seeds developed from the ovary of a flower. However, peas are considered to be a vegetable in cooking... , Pisum sativum |
| saura, -saur | G | Lizard | Lancetfish Lancetfish Lancetfishes are large oceanic predatory fishes in the genus Alepisaurus , the only living genus in the family Alepisauridae.... , Alepisaurus; Maiasaura Maiasaura Maiasaura is a large duck-billed dinosaur genus that lived in the area currently covered by the state of Montana in the Upper Cretaceous Period , about 74 million years ago.... (dinosaur) |
| septem- | L | seven | Seven-spot Ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata |
| silvestris | L | Of the wood; wild | Wild Cat Wild cat The wildcat is a small cat with several subspecies and a very broad distribution, found throughout most of Africa, Europe, and southwest and central Asia into India, China, and Mongolia. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar or smaller size. Sometimes included is... , Felis silvestris |
| sinensis | L | From China | Tea Tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world... , Camellia sinensis Camellia sinensis Camellia sinensis is the species of plant whose leaves and leaf buds are used to produce Chinese tea. It is of the genus Camellia , a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. White tea, green tea, oolong, pu-erh tea and black tea are all harvested from this species, but are processed... |
| specios- | L | showy | Queen's Crape-myrtle Lagerstroemia speciosa thumb|left|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].Lagerstroemia speciosa thumb|left|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].Lagerstroemia speciosa thumb|left|Bark in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]].Lagerstroemia speciosa (Giant Crape-myrtle, Queen's Crape-myrtle, Banabá... , Lagerstroemia speciosa; Japanese Lily Lilium speciosum Lilium speciosum, sometimes called the Japanese lily , is a lily native to Japan. It grows up to around 1.5 m in height. The flowers are white to pink in colour, and strongly scented. It is later flowering than most other species... , Lilium speciosum |
| sperma | G | Seed | African daisies Osteospermum Osteospermum is a genus belonging to the Calenduleae, one of the smaller tribes of the sunflower family .Osteospermum used to belong to the genus Dimorphotheca, but only the annual species remain in that genus; the perennials belong to Osteospermum. The genus Osteospermum is also closely related... , Osteospermum Osteospermum Osteospermum is a genus belonging to the Calenduleae, one of the smaller tribes of the sunflower family .Osteospermum used to belong to the genus Dimorphotheca, but only the annual species remain in that genus; the perennials belong to Osteospermum. The genus Osteospermum is also closely related... |
| sphen- | G | Wedge | Tuatara Tuatara The tuatara is a reptile endemic to New Zealand which, though it resembles most lizards, is actually part of a distinct lineage, order Sphenodontia. The two species of tuatara are the only surviving members of its order, which flourished around 200 million years ago. Their most recent common... , Sphenodon punctatus |
| stoma | G | Mouth, opening | Stomate, Gnathostomata Gnathostomata Gnathostomata is the group of vertebrates with jaws. The term derives from Greek γνάθος "jaw" + στόμα "mouth". Gnathostome diversity comprises roughly 60,000 species, which accounts for 99% of all living vertebrates... |
| striatus | L | Striped | Striated Heron Striated Heron The Striated Heron, Butorides striata, also known as Mangrove Heron, Little Heron or Green-backed Heron, is a small heron. Striated Herons are mostly non-migratory and noted for some interesting behavioral traits. Their breeding habitat is small wetlands in the Old World tropics from west Africa to... , Butorides striatus |
| suchos | G | Crocodile (from Egyptian Egyptian language Egyptian is the oldest known indigenous language of Egypt and a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. Written records of the Egyptian language have been dated from about 3400 BC, making it one of the oldest recorded languages known. Egyptian was spoken until the late 17th century AD in the... ) |
Eusuchia Eusuchia Eusuchia is a clade of crocodylomorphs that first appears in the Early Cretaceous with Hylaeochampsa. All living crocodilian species are eusuchians, as are many extinct forms.-Description:... , Koolasuchus Koolasuchus Koolasuchus is an extinct genus of brachyopoid temnospondyl in the family Chigutisauridae. Fossils have been found from Victoria, Australia and date back 120 Ma to the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous. Koolasuchus is the latest known temnospondyl. Koolasuchus is known from several fragments of... |
T
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| tardus, tardi- | L | Slow, late | Great Bustard Great Bustard The Great Bustard is in the bustard family, the only member of the genus Otis. It breeds in southern and central Europe, where it is the largest species of bird, and across temperate Asia... , Otis tarda; Chisos Mountains Oak, Quercus tardifolia |
| tele-, tel- | G τηλε- | Far, distant | New South Wales Waratah, Telopea speciosissima |
| tenuis | L | Thin, slender, fine | Slender Rush Slender rush Juncus tenuis, the Slender Rush, is a clump-forming, round-stemmed perennial in the Juncaceae . Slender rush grows to be between 15 and 60 cm tall. Generally considered a weed, it is rarely sold by retailers as a household container plant... , Juncus tenuis; Plealeaf Knotweed Polygonum Polygonum is a genus in the Polygonaceae family. Common names include knotweed, knotgrass, bistort, tear-thumb, mile-a-minute, and several others. In the Middle English glossary of herbs "Alphita" , it was known as ars-smerte. There have been various opinions about how broadly the genus should be... , Polygonum tenue |
| tetra- | G τετρα- | Four | Four-leaved Allseed, Polycarpon tetraphyllum; Tetrapoda |
| tinctorius | L | For dye Dye A dye is a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and requires a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber.... ing |
Woad Woad Isatis tinctoria, with Woad as the common name, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is commonly called dyer's woad, and sometimes incorrectly listed as Isatis indigotica . It is occasionally known as Asp of Jerusalem... , Isatis tinctoria |
| tomentosus | L | Furry | Fuzzy Mock-orange Mock-orange Mock-orange is a genus of about 60 species of shrubs from 1 to 6 m tall, native to North America, Central America, Asia and in southeast Europe.... , Philadelphus tomentosus |
| tres, tris, tri- | L G τρία | Three | Black-legged Kittiwake Black-legged Kittiwake The Black-legged Kittiwake is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae.This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Larus tridactylus.... , Rissa tridactyla |
| trich-, thrix | G θρίξ, τριχ- | Hair | Cloud ear fungus Cloud ear fungus Cloud ear fungus is an edible jelly fungus. It is gray-brown in color and often used in Asian cooking.-Etymology:... , Auricularia polytricha |
| triquetrus | L | Triangular, three-cornered | Three-cornered Garlic Allium triquetrum Allium triquetrum is a Mediterranean plant, but can also be found along the coasts of Oregon and California. Many parts of the plant are edible and taste somewhat like garlic or onion... , Allium triquetrum |
U
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| unus | L | One | Monotropa uniflora Monotropa uniflora Monotropa uniflora, also known as the Ghost Plant, Indian Pipe, or Corpse Plant is a herbaceous perennial plant, formerly classified in the family Monotropaceae, but now included within the Ericaceae. It is native to temperate regions of Asia, North America and northern South America, but with... |
| ura | G οὐρά | Of the tail | Mourning Dove Mourning Dove The Mourning Dove is a member of the dove family . The bird is also called the Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds... , Zenaida macroura |
V
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| variabilis | L | Variable | Grey Bunting Grey Bunting The Grey Bunting is a species of bird in the Emberizidae family.It is found in China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States.Its natural habitats are boreal forests and temperate forests.-References:... , Emberiza variabilis |
| variegatus | L | Variegated | Variegated Laughingthrush Variegated Laughingthrush The Variegated Laughingthrush is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 25 July 2007.... , Garrulax variegatus; Croton Codiaeum variegatum Codiaeum variegatum is a species of plant in the genus Codiaeum, which is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae. It native to southern India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the western Pacific Ocean islands, growing in open forests and scrub... , Codiaeum variegatum |
| velox, velocis | L | Swift | Swift Fox Swift Fox The swift fox is a small light orange-tan fox around the size of a domestic cat found in the western grasslands of North America, such as Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. It also lives in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada, where it was previously extirpated... , Vulpes velox; Velociraptor Velociraptor Velociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that existed approximately 75 to 71 million years ago during the later part of the Cretaceous Period. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the past. The type species is V. mongoliensis; fossils... |
| ventralis | L | Ventral, of the belly | Hispaniolan Parrot, Amazona ventralis; Southern Dwarf Chameleon Bradypodion Bradypodion is one of six genera of chameleons within the "true" or "typical" chameleons . They are native to southern Africa, and are sometimes collectively called South African dwarf chameleons... , Bradypodion ventrale |
| vernus, vernalis | L | Spring | Spring Gentian Spring Gentian The Spring Gentian is a species of the genus Gentiana and one of its smallest members, normally only growing to a height of a few centimetres.The short stem supports up to three opposing pairs of elliptical or lanceolate leaves... , Gentiana verna; Spring Pheasant's Eye, Adonis vernalis |
| verrucosus | L | Rough skinned | Javan Warty Pig, Sus verrucosus; Reef Stonefish Stonefish Synanceia verrucosa is a fish species, sometimes lethal to humans, which is known as the reef stonefish or simply stonefish. They are carnivorous ray-finned fish with venomous spines that lives on reef bottoms, camouflaged as a rock... , Synanceia verrucosa |
| versicolor | L | Many-colored | Varied Honeyeater Varied Honeyeater The Varied Honeyeater is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family.It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.- References :... , Lichenostomus versicolor; Vietnam Mouse-deer Vietnam Mouse-deer The Vietnam Mouse-deer , also known as the Silver-backed chevrotain, is a species of even-toed ungulate in the Tragulidae family that at present only is known from Vietnam. Until 2004, it was generally treated as a subspecies of the Greater Mouse-deer , though it more closely resembles the Lesser... , Tragulus versicolor |
| verus | L | True, genuine | True Aloe, Aloe vera; Lady's Bedstraw, Galium verum |
| villosus | L | Hairy, shaggy | Hairy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker The Hairy Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker, averaging approximately 250 mm in length with a 380 mm wingspan... , Picoides villosus; Hairy Vetch Hairy vetch Vicia villosa, known as the hairy vetch, fodder vetch or winter vetch, is a plant native to Europe and western Asia. It is a legume, grown as a forage crop.... , Vicia villosa |
| viridis | L | Green | Green Alder Green Alder Alnus viridis is an alder with a wide range across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere.-Description:It is a large shrub or small tree 3–12 m tall with smooth grey bark even in old age. The leaves are shiny green, ovoid, 3–8 cm long and 2–6 cm broad... , Alnus viridis; Frog Orchid Frog Orchid The Frog Orchid, or Coeloglossum viride, also known as the Long-Bracted Green Orchid and Dactylorhiza viridis is a monotypic genus of the family Orchidaceae generally found within the palearctic ecozone throughout the mid to northern United States through Canada, and in the British Isles and parts... , Coeloglossum viride |
| virosus | L | Poisonous | Poisonous Lettuce Lactuca virosa Lactuca virosa is a plant in the Lactuca genus, ingested often for its mild psychotropic effects which are often described as being similar to that of opium. It is related to common lettuce Lactuca virosa is a plant in the Lactuca (lettuce) genus, ingested often for its mild psychotropic... , Lactuca virosa; Cowbane, Cicuta virosa |
| volans | L | Flying | Southern Flying Squirrel Southern Flying Squirrel The Southern Flying Squirrel is one of two species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America . It is found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern half of North America, from southeastern Canada, to Florida, USA... , Glaucomys volans |
| vulgaris | L | Common | Common Octopus Common Octopus The Common Octopus is the most studied of all octopus species. Its natural range extends from the Mediterranean Sea and the southern coast of England to at least Senegal in Africa. It also occurs off the Azores, Canary Islands, and Cape Verde Islands.- Characteristics :O. vulgaris grows to 25 cm... , Octopus vulgaris; Common Privet, Ligustrum vulgare |
W, X, Y, Z
| Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
| xanthos | G | Yellow | Yellow Staining Mushroom, Agaricus xanthodermus |
| zygos | G | Joined | Zygoptera |