variatus

Variatus is a Latin adjective meaning “varied” or “diverse.” In biological nomenclature, it is commonly used as a specific epithet in species names to indicate some form of variation within the taxon, such as a distinct morph, color form, or geographic variant.

As an epithet, variatus can appear across multiple kingdoms, including animals, plants, and fungi. It is not a standalone genus. The epithet must agree in gender with the genus name, yielding variatus for masculine genera, variata for feminine genera, and variatum for neuter genera.

The use of variatus reflects the descriptive practice of taxonomy, where adjectives appended to a binomial name convey a characteristic noted by the describing author. The presence of variatus in a name does not by itself indicate taxonomic rank, phylogeny, or conservation status; it is a linguistic descriptor.

For precise instances of species bearing the epithet variatus, one would consult taxonomic databases or primary literature, as the epithet appears in many taxa and across different groups. Such sources can provide the original descriptions and the context in which the variation was observed.

Variatus is one of many Latin epithets used to describe variation within a taxon and is part of the broader system of binomial nomenclature. Related terms include varius and variegatus, which similarly encode descriptive information about diversity or variation.