ruficollis

Ruficollis is a Latin-derived species epithet meaning “red‑necked” from rufus, “red,” and collum, “neck.” It is used in binomial names across diverse taxonomic groups to highlight a prominent reddish collar or neck region in the organism.

The epithet appears in many animal groups. For example, the frog *Petrolischnia ruficollis* is known for its distinctive red throat patch, and the songbird *Pseudoseiurus ruficollis* bears a reddish neck band that distinguishes it from related species. In arthropods, the spider *Pseudicius ruficollis* shows a characteristic red marking around its cephalothorax. These examples illustrate how ruficollis functions as a descriptive term that aids in visual identification and taxonomic classification.

Because the term directly references a conspicuous coloration trait, it is often chosen when a new species is described if that feature is prominent. As a result, ruficollis remains a common and useful component of Latin nomenclature in biology, reflecting both morphological observation and the historical tradition of Latinized scientific naming.