atratum

Atratum is a term of Latin origin used mainly as a descriptive epithet in scientific naming. It is the neuter singular form of an adjective related to ater, meaning black or dark. In taxonomic practice, atratum is employed to indicate a dark coloration or other dark features in a species or intraspecific taxon, often alongside gendered forms such as atratus (masculine) and atrata (feminine).

In biological nomenclature, atratum may appear in botanical, zoological, or mycological names as part of a species epithet or subspecific epithet. The specific sense depends on the noun it accompanies and the author’s intention, but it generally signals some dark or blackish characteristic rather than implying a broader taxonomic group on its own.

In non-biological usage, atratum occurs in historical Latin prose and scientific Latin to describe things that are darkened or blackened. As with many Latin adjectives, its meaning is contextual and does not designate a single, standalone concept.

Today, atratum is primarily encountered as part of Latin names and descriptive text rather than as a standalone term with independent recognition in modern taxonomic practice.