pygmaeus

Pygmaeus is a Latin adjective meaning dwarf or small, used in biological nomenclature as a species epithet. It is one of many Latin descriptors that convey a characteristic of the species, indicating smaller size relative to related taxa. In botanical, zoological, and mycological naming, the epithet is joined with a genus to form the binomial name. The form of the epithet agrees in gender with the genus: pygmaeus (masculine), pygmaea (feminine), pygmaeum (neuter). The epithet is not capitalized.

In usage, pygmaeus has been widely adopted across unrelated groups to denote diminutive forms, from minute insects to small plants and animals. It does not indicate a single taxon or a shared lineage; rather, it marks a relative trait within the context of each genus. Taxonomists choose epithets based on morphology, locality, or other criteria, and pygmaeus is simply one of many possible descriptors.

The term appears across diverse taxa and throughout historical and modern systematic works. Each occurrence represents a distinct species within its own genus, with the epithet highlighting small size relative to its congeners or relatives. As with all Latin epithets, accurate usage depends on proper agreement with the corresponding genus name and adherence to the rules of the applicable nomenclatural codes.

See also: binomial nomenclature, Latin in taxonomy, species epithet.