Versatilis

Versatilis is a Latin adjective meaning versatile or adaptable. In biological and related scientific naming conventions, versatilis is not a standalone taxon. Instead, it appears as a species epithet in the binomial names of various organisms. As an epithet, versatilis can be attached to many different genera, yielding species names across plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. The use of versatilis typically signals that the species exhibits some form of variability, adaptability, or ecological versatility described by the author who named it.

Etymologically, versatilis derives from the Latin verb versare, meaning to turn or to change, with a suffix that conveys capability or tendency. In taxonomic practice, the epithet is treated as an adjective that must agree in gender with the genus name, leading to different grammatical forms depending on the genus.

In taxonomy, versatilis serves as a descriptive qualifier rather than a rank or formal taxonomic unit. Its application reflects observed or inferred traits, such as tolerance to a range of environments, multiple morphologies, or adaptable behavior. Because it appears across multiple, unrelated groups, the same epithet does not imply any close evolutionary relationship among the organisms bearing it.

See also: binomial nomenclature; taxonomic nomenclature; Latin in scientific naming; species epithet.