elephantus

Elephantus is a Latin term meaning "elephant." In historical scientific literature, the word was used to refer to elephants and, on occasion, appeared as a genus name in early classifications. It is not the name of a currently recognized taxon in modern taxonomy.

In contemporary zoological usage, elephants are classified within the family Elephantidae and are represented by two extant genera: Elephas, which includes the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), and Loxodonta, which includes the African elephants (Loxodonta africana and Loxodonta cyclotis). The term elephantus itself does not denote a valid modern genus or species.

The Latin form elephantus may still occur in taxonomic contexts as part of descriptive phrases or as an epithet within a longer scientific name, but it does not function as a standalone taxon. In general use, the term is closely associated with elephants and their cultural and scientific representations, rather than with current scientific nomenclature.