crassicaudata

Crassicaudata is a Latin-derived epithet used in scientific names to denote a thick-tailed form. It is not a standalone taxon, but an adjective that has appeared in the species names of multiple organisms across different groups. The epithet derives from crassus, meaning thick, and caudatus, meaning tailed, referring to a notable tail morphology in the described organisms.

Because crassicaudata occurs in many genera, the exact taxonomic placement depends on the genus with which it is combined. There is therefore no single species universally recognized as crassicaudata. When encountered in literature, the genus name must be supplied to determine the organism and its classification.

Historical usages of crassicaudata span diverse taxa, including invertebrates and vertebrates; some instances appear in older taxonomic descriptions and may have been revised or superseded by more modern revisions. In contemporary databases, the epithet is treated as part of the binomial name, with the authority and genus providing the specific identity.

See also: Crassicauda, a genus of nematodes with relevance to discussions of parasitism in marine mammals; descriptive epithets in taxonomic nomenclature.

References: General guidelines on zoological nomenclature and Latin epithets; taxonomic databases and catalogues that document binomial names and their authorship.