notabilis

Notabilis is a Latin adjective meaning notable, remarkable, or worthy of note. In taxonomic naming, notabilis is commonly used as a species epithet within binomial names to indicate that the species possesses a notable feature or was particularly notable at the time of its description. The epithet itself is not a taxon name on its own; it functions within a genus to form a species name.

Etymology and form: The term derives from Latin notābilis, with the stem notabil- and standard endings for Latin adjectives. As a third-declension adjective, notabilis is used in masculine and feminine forms, while the neuter form is notabile. In taxonomy, the gender of the epithet agrees with the genus name.

Taxonomic usage: The choice of epithet is determined by the describing author and may reflect morphology, behavior, distribution, striking coloration, or other notable traits, or may honor a person or place associated with the species. Notabilis as an epithet occurs across various biological groups, including both animals and plants, but there is no widely recognized taxon or genus named Notabilis as a standalone group.

Context and conventions: In formal writing, binomial names consist of a capitalized genus and a lowercase, often italicized, species epithet (for example, Genus notabilis). In plain text, italics are often omitted, but the conventional capitalization and word order remain. Beyond science, notabilis also appears in general Latin phrases to denote something worthy of attention.

See also: Latin in biological nomenclature; species epithet; taxonomic naming conventions.