latifrons

Latifrons is a Latin-derived specific epithet used in zoological nomenclature. It is not the name of a single genus or a standalone taxon, but rather a descriptive term that appears in the species names of various organisms across different genera.

Etymology and meaning: Latifrons combines Latin elements meaning “broad” or “wide” (lati-) and “forehead” or “front” (frons). In taxonomy, the epithet latifrons is chosen to indicate a broad frontal region or front of the organism, though the exact sense may vary by group and interpretation.

Usage and scope: The epithet latifrons occurs in multiple, unrelated species across diverse animal groups. Because it is an epithet rather than a genus, species bearing latifrons can belong to different genera and even different families. Taxonomic revisions may move a species to a different genus, but the epithet latifrons typically remains part of the valid species name unless the name is reevaluated or synonymized.

Taxonomic status: There is no widely recognized current taxon named Latifrons as a genus. Latifrons functions as a species epithet within various genera and is subject to change with ongoing taxonomic research, synonymization, and reclassification.

Notes: As with many Latin epithets, the usage of latifrons reflects a morphological characteristic described at the time of naming. Its presence across taxa highlights how descriptive Latin terms are reused in scientific naming to convey a common trait, even when the organisms are not closely related.

See also: Latin names, binomial nomenclature, species epithet.