guntheri

Guntheri is a Latinized species epithet used in zoological nomenclature to honor the German-British zoologist Albert Günther (1830–1914). In binomial names, the second part of the name, the specific epithet, often reflects a person’s name in genitive form, and guntheri is one of several epithets used to recognize Günther’s contributions to zoology. The epithet is typically written in lower case and remains the same across genera despite changes in gender.

Albert Günther made extensive contributions to ichthyology, herpetology, and other areas of zoology, describing numerous species and shaping 19th-century cataloging of biodiversity. Because of his impact, subsequent researchers described new species after him and often chose the epithet guntheri to acknowledge his influence or collaboration. As a result, guntheri appears in taxa across diverse animal groups, including fishes, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, though its occurrence varies by taxonomy and publication history.

In zoological naming, eponymous epithets such as guntheri follow the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, which governs capitalization, latinization, and the formation of genitive forms. The term is not a taxon itself but a component of many scientific names; it is distinct from Günther’s name in non-Latin contexts or from similarly spelled terms outside zoology.

See also: Albert Günther, taxonomic nomenclature, eponym (biology).