nasomaculatus

Nasomaculatus is a Latin descriptive epithet used in the scientific names of several species across different groups of organisms. It is not itself a taxon or a genus, but a specific epithet that appears in combination with a genus to form a species name.

Etymology: nasus meaning nose and macula meaning spot or mark, with the suffix -atus forming a masculine adjective meaning "nose-spotted" or "having a spot on the nose." The ending of the epithet may vary to agree with the gender of the genus (nasomaculatus, nasomaculata, nasomaculatum).

Taxonomic use: The epithet is descriptive, often indicating a morphological trait noted by the describer when the species was named. It has been applied to multiple taxa, including aquatic and terrestrial organisms, but without committing to a single lineage.

Nomenclature notes: In formal writing, the genus name is capitalized and italicized, the epithet is italicized but not capitalized, and the authority and year follow. Epithets may be reused in different genera, a practice allowed under the rules of binomial nomenclature.

Examples: Specific instances of nasomaculatus occur in various genera, but each is independent and requires the full binomial to identify. Because the epithet is descriptive rather than unique, context or a taxonomic database is required to disambiguate.

See also: Binomial nomenclature, Latin adjectives in scientific names, species epithet.