aquaticus

Aquaticus is a Latin adjective meaning "of water" and is widely used in biological nomenclature. It appears primarily as a species epithet and, less commonly, as the name of a genus. When used as an epithet, aquaticus signals that the described organism has an aquatic habit or origin—typically referring to freshwater, brackish, or marine environments. The use spans multiple kingdoms, including animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms, and it is often combined with a generic name to form a scientific name.

In botanical and zoological practice, aquaticus may appear in species names describing organisms that live in water, such as aquatic plants, aquatic invertebrates, or aquatic vertebrates, as well as in notes about habitat or ecology in taxonomic descriptions. The term does not imply a formal taxonomic rank by itself; it is a descriptive epithet rather than a standalone taxon.

As a dedicated genus name, Aquaticus is not currently listed as an accepted genus in major taxonomic databases. There have been occasional historical or proposed usages, but none have achieved widespread acceptance. When used, it is typically understood as a descriptive epithet or as a reference to the broader group containing the species in question.

See also: Latin binomial nomenclature; species epithet; taxonomy and nomenclature.