Kesslerorum

Kesslerorum is a Latin-derived species epithet used in zoological and botanical nomenclature to honor individuals bearing the surname Kessler. The suffix -orum is the genitive plural form in Latin, indicating that the name commemorates two or more people named Kessler. Epithets such as kesslerorum are integral to binomial names in which the genus is followed by a specific epithet, and they are governed by the relevant nomenclatural codes.

The term does not denote a single taxon or a taxonomic group; rather, it appears in multiple, independent species across different genera. Each occurrence represents a separate naming event, with the authors who described the species selecting the epithet to recognize contributions of the Kesslers in science, conservation, exploration, or local knowledge. The use of patronymic epithets like kesslerorum is common in both animal and plant taxa, with variation in ending depending on linguistic and code rules, but -orum specifically signals multiple honorees.

Several considerations accompany such naming: the epithet becomes a fixed part of the species name, regardless of subsequent changes in genus, and the dedication is not a descriptor of ecology or morphology. Researchers consult the ICZN (for animals) or ICN (for plants) when naming, and publication of a proper description is required for validity. In practice, kesslerorum can refer to any number of distinct species across kingdoms, all linked only by the shared dedication embedded in their Latin epithet.