ornata

Ornata is a Latin adjective used as a specific epithet in the scientific names of numerous species across plants and animals. In taxonomic practice, ornata appears as the second part of a binomial name and often signals an ornate or decorative appearance in the species.

Etymology: The term derives from Latin ornatus, meaning adorned or decorated. The feminine form ornata is used when the generic name is feminine; masculine form is ornatus and neuter is ornatum. The choice of form follows standard gender agreement rules of Latin grammar.

Usage: Ornata is not a taxon in itself. It is a descriptive epithet applied to many unrelated genera, reflecting a perceived ornamental trait rather than suggesting close relationship among the species that bear it.

Examples and notes: The epithet is common across diverse groups, including birds, insects, and flowering plants. Because it is a generic Latin descriptor, many different species in different lineages may have ornata as part of their names. In formal writing, the epithet is part of the binomial name; in zoological practice, it generally agrees in gender with the genus, and authority and date follow.