sumatrensis

Sumatrensis is a Latin epithet used in biological nomenclature to denote origin from Sumatra, an island of Indonesia. It functions as an adjective in species or subspecies names and is not a taxon on its own. As with other geographic epithets, sumatrensis appears across different groups of organisms, indicating where a species or subspecies was first described or associated.

In zoology and botany, sumatrensis serves to identify taxa linked to Sumatra. The epithet must agree in gender with the genus name, reflecting standard Latin grammar in scientific naming. The use of sumatrensis does not necessarily reflect a current distribution, as ranges can change or be reinterpreted with new taxonomic insights. Some taxa once given this epithet have been reclassified or revised as taxonomy progresses.

The most notable example is the Sumatran rhinoceros, with the scientific name Dicerorhinus sumatrensis. This species is native to Sumatra and is recognised as critically endangered, highlighting conservation concerns for the region’s biodiversity. Beyond this, many other organisms have historically carried the epithet sumatrensis in their names, though not all remain in use as distinct taxa; some have been synonymized or reassigned under different genera or species names.

Overall, sumatrensis functions as a geographic indicator within scientific names, reflecting historical associations with Sumatra rather than a standalone taxon.