townsendii

Townsendii is a Latinized species epithet used in the scientific names of numerous organisms to honor the 19th‑century American naturalist John Kirk Townsend. In binomial nomenclature, the epithet follows the genus name to form a two-part scientific name. The ending townsendii (or townsendi) reflects Latinization of a surname and indicates an honorific rather than a descriptive trait.

The form townsendii is the masculine version that appears in many vertebrate names, but townsendi is also widely used, particularly in birds such as Setophaga townsendi. Latin suffix usage varies by tradition and gender considerations, with -ii and -i common masculine forms; -iae is used for female names (townsendiae), and -orum can denote a name honoring multiple people. The choice of form is historical and taxon‑specific, and both townsendii and townsendi are considered correct in different contexts.

Notable examples include Microtus townsendii (Townsend’s vole), Scapanus townsendii (Townsend’s mole), Corynorhinus townsendii (Townsend’s big‑eared bat), Myadestes townsendi (Townsend’s solitaire), and Setophaga townsendi (Townsend’s warbler). The epithet illustrates the common practice of naming species to recognize contributors to natural history, rather than implying any biological relationship to Townsend himself.