Sulfuratus

Sulfuratus is a Latin-derived specific epithet used in the scientific names of many organisms, rather than a single taxon. In taxonomic practice, sulfuratus appears as the second term in a binomial name following the genus, serving as a descriptive descriptor rather than indicating evolutionary relatedness.

Etymology and meaning: The word sulfuratus comes from the Latin sulfur, sulfuris (sulfur) with the suffix -atus, meaning endowed with or characterized by. In nomenclature, it typically denotes a sulfur-yellow coloration or a association with sulfur-rich environments, though the precise descriptive intent can vary by author and group.

Taxonomic usage: Because sulfuratus is a common descriptive epithet, it is found in species across diverse biological groups, including plants, insects, mollusks, fungi, and microorganisms. The use of the epithet is independent across lineages, so there is no single “Sulfuratus species”; multiple, unrelated species may bear the epithet in their scientific names.

Examples and scope: The epithet’s appearance depends on the observed trait or habitat noted by the describer in a given taxon. For a concrete instance, one would consult taxonomic databases or the original species descriptions to identify which genus-bearing sulfuratus has what characteristic. The term itself does not imply any taxonomic relationship between different species that share it.

See also: Epithet, binomial nomenclature, Latin in taxonomy, sulfur.