caligata

Caligata is a feminine form of the Latin adjective caligatus, meaning “booted” or “wearing boots,” derived from caliga, a military boot. In Latin, adjectives agree with the gender of the noun they modify, so caligata corresponds to feminine nouns; the masculine form is caligatus and the neuter form is caligatum.

In biological nomenclature, caligata is used as a descriptive epithet in species names to indicate a boot-like feature, a boot-pattern, or another trait alluding to boots. The exact meaning depends on the context and the genus name, since caligata is not a taxon by itself but part of a binomial or subspecific name. As with other Latin descriptors, its role is descriptive rather than indicating a rank or phylogenetic relationship.

Historically and linguistically, the root caliga refers to the Roman military boot. The nickname Caligula—derived from caliga—means “little boot,” illustrating how the same root appears in historical usage. The feminine form caligata is primarily encountered in descriptive phrases or in names that require a feminine agreement.

Notes: The interpretation of caligata in a name is contingent on the original description and the gender of the genus. It functions as a descriptive, Latin-based epithet in nomenclature rather than as a standalone term with a fixed, universal meaning.