denticulatus

Denticulatus is a Latin adjectival epithet used in biological binomials to indicate a trait described as having small tooth-like projections, or denticles. As a descriptor within a scientific name, it is not a taxon by itself but a note about morphology, often referring to a characteristic such as a denticulate margin on leaves or small tooth-like features on shells, mouthparts, or other structures.

Etymology and grammar: The term derives from Latin dens or dent- meaning tooth, together with the diminutive -iculus, and the adjectival ending -atus. In taxonomy, adjectives must agree with the gender of the genus, so denticulatus is masculine, denticulata is feminine, and denticulatum is neuter.

Usage in nomenclature: Denticulatus appears across diverse groups, including plants and animals, to describe a consistent morphological trait rather than implying close evolutionary relationship. The epithet helps convey a descriptive trait to distinguish a species within a genus or a closely related group.

Notes for interpretation: When encountered, denticulatus usually signals that the organism exhibits dentate or denticulate features observable in the type specimen or described in the original description. The presence of this epithet should be understood as a morphological hint rather than a taxonomic diagnosis.

See also: denticle, denticulate, dentition, binomial nomenclature, Latin in taxonomy.