marmoreus

Marmoreus is a Latin adjective meaning marbled or marble-like. In scientific naming, it is used descriptively to denote a marbled pattern or coloration observed in an organism.

As a taxonomic epithet, marmoreus is not a standalone taxon. It appears in species names across diverse groups, including animals and plants, to convey a marbled appearance. Because scientific names must agree in gender with the genus, the form can vary to marmoreus (masculine), marmorea (feminine), or marmoreum (neuter).

The epithet is commonly chosen when a specimen displays veining, mottling, or mixed tones reminiscent of marble, such as marbled shells, leaves, petals, or body markings. The use of marmoreus is often paired with other descriptive elements in the full name, providing a concise visual cue to researchers and collectors.

Etymology traces to marmoreus from marmore, marble, reflecting the marble-like pattern. It is closely related to other Latin descriptive epithets such as marmoratus, which conveys a similar but distinct sense of marbling. The choice of marmoreus reflects traditional taxonomic practice of using Latin adjectives to encode observable traits in a species description.

See also: Latin adjectives in biological nomenclature, marble-like pattern descriptors, marmoratus.