amsterdamensis

Amsterdamensis is a Latinized adjectival species epithet used in the scientific names of organisms to indicate origin from Amsterdam. It is not itself a taxon or a stand-alone name, but rather a descriptor attached to a genus to form a binomial or trinomial name.

The epithet derives from the city name Amsterdam, with the Latin suffix -ensis meaning “originating from” or “of.” In binomial nomenclature the epithet functions as an adjective and must agree in gender with the genus name; the neuter form, when applicable, may differ (often -ense). It is written in lowercase and is not capitalized, following standard nomenclatural conventions.

Usage across taxa: amsterdamensis has been employed in a wide range of groups, including plants, animals, fungi, algae, and bacteria, to denote that the type specimen or discovery is associated with Amsterdam or the surrounding region. The choice of epithet can reflect the location of collection, the place of discovery, or an institutional association with Amsterdam.

Nomenclature notes: under the International Code of Nomenclature, the epithet is treated as a Latin adjective and remains in the base form when combined with the genus. It can recur across different genera, yielding distinct species names that share the same geographic reference. When ambiguous, the genus name provides the necessary context to identify the taxon.

See also: Amsterdam; toponym; species epithet; Latin in biological nomenclature.