parallelepipedus

Parallelepipedus is a Latin adjective used in biological nomenclature as a species epithet. It derives from parallelepiped, the geometric term for a six-faced polyhedron with opposite faces parallel, and it literally means “of a parallelepiped” or “parallelepiped-shaped.” In taxonomy the epithet is sometimes chosen to evoke a characteristic that suggests a blocky, angular form, or it may be used more arbitrarily as a Latinized descriptor.

A widely cited use is Carabus parallelepipedus, a ground beetle of the family Carabidae. This species is native to Europe and commonly inhabits mature deciduous and mixed forests, often found in leaf litter and under logs or stones. It is predominantly nocturnal and predatory, feeding on invertebrates. Adults are typically dark in color, with a robust, elongated body and grooved elytra, reflecting the generalized morphologies seen in many carabids.

In broader usage, parallelepipedus may appear as an epithet in other taxa, though such instances are comparatively rare. The term sits among other shape-based Latin epithets that describe external morphology or are chosen to evoke certain traits about the organism.

See also: parallelepiped, taxonomic nomenclature, Carabus parallelepipedus.