laboriosa

Laboriosa is the feminine form of the Latin adjective laboriosus, meaning “laborious” or “industrious.” In taxonomic naming, laboriosa is used as a species epithet in the binomial names of various organisms. The epithet derives from Latin and, as with other adjectives, must agree in gender with the genus. Thus masculine forms like laboriosus and neuter forms like laborosum are used with compatible genera.

In zoology and botany, laboriosa appears in the names of several species described by scientists who chose the term to convey a particular quality or impression, whether descriptive or fanciful. The exact reasoning behind each choice varies by author and species.

One well-known example is Apis laboriosa, the Himalayan giant honey bee. This species is among the largest honey bee species and is native to high-altitude regions of Asia, including the Himalayas. It is noted for nesting in cliff crevices and for its sizable colonies, traits that distinguish it from other honey bees in its range.

Overall, laboriosa is a common epithet used across living groups to convey a sense of diligence, endurance, or robustness attributed by the describer. It is not a standalone taxon or a universal descriptor of biology, but rather part of the Latin binomial system used to classify and name species. In botanical nomenclature, as in zoological usage, the epithet must harmonize in gender with the genus name.