punctulatus

Punctulatus is a Latin-derived specific epithet used in biological nomenclature. It comes from punctulus, a diminutive of punctum, meaning “a small point” or “dot,” and generally conveys the sense of something being dotted or punctate. In taxonomic practice, punctulatus is applied across diverse genera to describe species that exhibit small spots, dots, or a punctate texture on their morphology, such as markings on wings, shells, leaves, or body surfaces.

As with many Latin adjectives in species names, the ending of punctulatus varies to agree with the gender of the genus it modifies. The masculine form is punctulatus, the feminine form is punctulata, and the neuter form is punctulatum. This grammatical agreement ensures consistency within the binomial name of a species.

Punctulatus is not a standalone taxon or genus; rather, it is a descriptive epithet used in many different groups of organisms, including insects, plants, and mollusks. Its usage reflects a traditional emphasis on observable external features in the initial description of a species.

See also: Latin in biological nomenclature, species epithet, punctate and punctulate as descriptive terms in morphology.