thomsonii

Thomsionii (thomsonii) is a taxonomic epithet used in the scientific names of many species across animals and plants. The form is the Latin genitive of the surname Thomson, used to honor a person named Thomson who contributed to the discovery or study of the species. The ending -ii is typically used for masculine honorees; feminine or other genus endings may use thomsoniae or related forms.

The epithet does not indicate a particular group or geographic origin by itself. Instead, it functions as a commemorative element in the binomial name, and its application is independent of the organism’s ultimate classification. The same epithet can appear in very different genera and across diverse families, reflecting the varied individuals named Thomson who were recognized by scientists.

A widely cited example is Gazella thomsonii, commonly called Thomson’s gazelle, a medium-sized antelope native to East Africa. In some taxonomic treatments, it has been placed in the genus Eudorcas as Eudorcas thomsonii. This illustrates how the same epithet can persist even as higher-level classifications change over time.

In botany and zoology, there are numerous other species bearing the epithet thomsonii, reflecting historical practices of honoring collectors, researchers, or patrons named Thomson. For researchers and readers, the precise origin of the epithet for any given species is tied to the original description, and consulting taxonomic databases such as IPNI for plants or ITIS for animals can provide the exact authorship and naming history.