pectinati

Pectinati is a Latin-derived term used in biological and anatomical contexts to denote a comb-like or toothed structure. It stems from pecten, meaning "comb," and the adjective pectinatus (masculine), with pectinata (feminine) and pectinatum (neuter) as common gendered forms; pectinati can appear as a plural or as a specific grammatical form in taxonomic names. The root gives rise to the English adjective pectinate, which describes structures that have a regular series of projections or lamellae resembling the teeth of a comb.

In taxonomy, variants of pectinatus/pectinata/pectinatum are frequently used as species epithets to indicate that a key morphological feature is comb-like—examples include antennae, leaf margins, gill rakers, or shell ornamentation in diverse groups such as insects, plants, and mollusks. In anatomy, pectinate structures are noted in descriptions of muscles, valves, or processes that exhibit a serrated or radiating arrangement.

Usage follows Latin grammatical agreement rules: the ending of the adjective must match the gender and number of the genus name it modifies. Understanding the term's etymology and morphological implication helps interpret descriptive scientific names and diagnostic character descriptions in species accounts and anatomical literature.