minutum

Minutum is a term used in biological nomenclature as the neuter singular form of the Latin adjective minutus, meaning small or minute. As a species epithet, minutum is attached to a genus name to form a binomen or trinomen for a species or subspecies that is characteristically small.

Etymology and grammar: Minutum derives from Latin minutus, with the neuter form minutum used when the generic name is neuter in gender. If the genus is masculine or feminine, the epithet typically adopts minutus or minuta, respectively, in accordance with Latin agreement rules. This linguistic convention helps convey a descriptive attribute of the organism within its scientific name.

Usage and scope: The epithet minutum is descriptive rather than taxonomic in itself and does not imply any specific rank beyond being part of the scientific name. It is governed by the nomenclatural codes that regulate the formation and latinization of names for plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. Because Latin is the traditional language of scientific naming, minutum follows standardized patterns across taxonomic groups.

Notes: Minutum is one of many size-based descriptors used in taxonomy to indicate relative smallness within a group. Its appearance in a name signals a characteristic the describers considered notable, often related to size, morphology, or ecological habit, but does not by itself define phylogeny or relationships.

See also: minutus, minuta, taxonomic nomenclature.