granulatus

Granulatus is a Latin adjective used in biological nomenclature as a species epithet. It derives from granulum, meaning a small grain or granule, and conveys the sense of a surface or texture that is grainy or granular. In taxonomy, granulatus is the masculine form; granulata is feminine and granulatum is neuter, and the form must agree with the gender of the genus.

The epithet is descriptive rather than diagnostic, applied to organisms or parts that appear granular or bumpy. This can include seeds or fruit surfaces, shells or exoskeletons with raised granules, or cuticular textures in insects, mollusks, fungi, and other groups. Because it is a descriptive term, granulatus appears across diverse lineages and is not tied to a single taxonomic group.

As with other Latin epithets, its usage depends on grammatical agreement with the genus. A described species will be named granulatus, granulata, or granulatum to match the genus gender. The term signals a characteristic texture observed by the describer rather than implying a close evolutionary relationship.

In summary, granulatus denotes a granular appearance in a taxonomic name and is one of many descriptive epithets used across the tree of life.