caucasicum

Caucasicum is a Latin adjective commonly used in scientific binomial nomenclature to indicate a connection to the Caucasus region. In zoological and botanical names, caucasicum is the neuter form of the adjective; gender forms include caucasicus (masculine) and caucasica (feminine) to agree with the genus name.

Etymology and meaning: The term derives from the Caucasus, a region at the intersection of Europe and Asia, encompassing parts of present-day Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The epithet caucasicum typically signals that the species was first described from the Caucasus or is closely associated with that area.

Usage in taxonomy: Caucasicum appears as the specific epithet in many species names across plants, animals, and fungi. Because it is a geographic descriptor, its primary function is to convey origin or regional association rather than any taxonomic relationship. Its use does not imply anything about the organism’s broader classification beyond the locality noted in the name.

Notes: The epithet caucasicum is not a standalone taxon. It is part of a two-part (or three-part, in some cases) scientific name that combines a genus with a species descriptor. When cited in full, the genus name is capitalized and the species epithet is lowercase, and the epithet must agree in gender with the chosen genus. In many references, the same general geographic indicator appears in other epithets across different taxa, reflecting the historical practice of naming species after their region of origin.