sinuatus

Sinuatus is a Latin adjective meaning “bent, curved, or sinuate.” In scientific naming, it commonly serves as a specific epithet in both botanical and zoological species names. The feminine and neuter forms are sinuata and sinuatum, respectively, and the epithet must agree in gender with the genus name.

As a descriptive epithet, sinuatus indicates a notable curved or sinuate feature of the organism, such as a leaf margin that is notched or wavy, a shell or body part with a sinuous contour, or a curved anatomical process. It is a descriptive rather than a designation of a taxon.

In practice, the term appears across diverse groups, from plants to invertebrates, wherever a curved morphology is a distinguishing trait. In English-language descriptions, sinuate or sinuated can be used similarly to convey the same idea; sinuatus remains the Latin form used in binomial names.

Etymology and usage notes: “sinuatus” derives from Latin sinus, meaning bend or curve; the ending changes with grammatical gender. The epithet is not a stand-alone taxon; it is part of a binomial name and does not imply relatedness beyond the described trait.