bidentatus

Bidentatus is a Latin-derived species epithet used in biological nomenclature. It does not denote a single taxon or group; instead, it appears in the scientific names of many different species across diverse groups. As an epithet, it is shared by organisms in separate genera, meaning that multiple, unrelated lineages may each have a species described as bidentatus.

The name derives from bi- meaning two and dens meaning tooth, yielding “two-toothed.” In taxonomy, the epithet typically references a visible two-toothed feature on a particular part of the organism, such as two prominent dentitions, projections, or dentate structures. The exact structure implicated varies by genus and organism, and the epithet alone does not specify a uniform character across all usages.

Bidentatus is a widely used descriptor in both zoological and botanical nomenclature. It appears in a variety of taxa, including insects, mollusks, crustaceans, fishes, and plants. Its recurrence reflects a common approach in Latinized naming: describe a notable morphological feature to aid in distinguishing a species.

Nomenclatural notes: the ending of the epithet changes to agree with the gender of the genus. The masculine form is bidentatus, the feminine form is bidentata, and the neuter form is bidentatum. In formal writing, the full binomial name is italicized, with the genus capitalized and the species epithet lowercase.

Because many distinct species share the epithet bidentatus, precise identification requires the complete binomial name and, when needed, geographic or taxonomic context.