List of commonly used taxonomic affixes

This is a list of common affixes used when scientifically naming species, particularly extinct species for whom only their scientific names are used, along with their derivations.

• a-, an-: Pronunciation: /ə/, /a/, /ən/, /an/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἀ-, ἀν- (a, an-). Meaning: a prefix used to make words with a sense opposite to that of the root word; in this case, meaning "without" or "-less". This is usually used to describe organisms without a certain characteristic, as well as organisms in which that characteristic may not be immediately obvious.

  Examples: Anurognathus ("tailless jaw"); Apus ("footless"); Apteryx ("wingless"); Pteranodon ("wings without teeth")

• -acanth, acantho-, -cantho: Pronunciation: /eɪkænθ/, /eɪkænθoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἄκανθα (ákantha). Meaning: spine.

  Examples: Acanthodes ("spiny base"); Acanthostega ("spine roof"); coelacanth ("hollow spine"); Acrocanthosaurus ("high-spined lizard"); Acanthoderes ("spiny neck"); Acanthamoeba ("spiny amoeba"); Metriacanthosaurus ("moderately-spined lizard")

• aeto-: Pronunciation: /aɛto/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἀετός (aetós). Meaning: eagle.

  Examples: Aetonyx ("eagle claw"); Aetobatus ("eagle ray"); Aetosaur ("eagle lizard")

• afro-: Pronunciation: /ˈafro/. Origin: Latin: afro-. Meaning: African.

Examples: Afrovenator (African hunter); Afropithecus (African ape); Afrotheria (African beasts)

• -ales: Pronunciation: /ˈa.lis/. Origin: Latin: -ālis. Meaning: Used to form taxonomic names of orders.

Examples: Enterobacterales ("Order of Intestinal Bacteria"); Nitrosomonadiales ("Nitrogen fixing bacteria order"); Chromatiales ("Purple Sulfur Fixing Bacteria Order")

• amphi-: Pronunciation: /amfiː/, /amfɪ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἀμφί (amphí). Meaning: both.

  Examples: Amphibia ("two types of life"); Amphicoelias ("hollow at both ends"); Amphicyon ("ambiguous dog")

• -anthus, antho-: Pronunciation: /anθəs/, /anθoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἄνθος (ánthos). Meaning: flower.

  Examples: Helianthus ("sunflower"); Anthophila ("flower-loving"); Dianthus ("Zeus flower"/"godly flower")

• arch-, archi-, archo-, -archus: Pronunciation: /ark/, /arkoʊ/, /arkɪ/, /arkəs/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἀρχός (arkhós), meaning: ruler; ἀρχικός (arkhikós), meaning: ruling. Used for exceptionally large or widespread animals.

  Examples: Archelon ("ruling turtle"); Architeuthis ("ruling squid"); Thalattoarchon ("sea ruler"); Archosaur ("ruling lizard"); Andrewsarchus ("ruler of Andrews")

• archaeo-: Pronunciation: /arkiːɒ/, /arkiːoʊ/ . Origin: Ancient Greek: ἀρχαῖος (arkhaîos). Meaning: ancient. Used for early versions of animals and plants.

  Examples: Archaeopteryx ("ancient wing"); Archaeoindris ("ancient Indri"); Archaeopteris ("ancient fern"); Archaeanthus ("ancient flower")

• -arctos, arcto-: Pronunciation: /arktoʊz/, /arktoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἄρκτος (árktos). Meaning: bear.

  Examples: Phascolarctos ("bag bear"); Arctodus ("bear tooth"); Arctocyon ("bear dog")

• arthro-: /arθroʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἄρθρον (árthron). Meaning: joint. Often used for animals with exoskeletons.

  Examples: Arthrospira ("jointed coil"); Arthropleura ("jointed rib"); arthropod ("jointed foot")

• aspido-, -aspis: Pronunciation: /əspɪdoʊ/, /əspɪs/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἀσπίς (aspís). Meaning: shield. The suffix "-aspis" is used to describe armored fish.

  Examples: Aspidochelone ("shield turtle"); Cephalaspis ("head shield"); Sacabambaspis ("shield from Sacabamba"); Brindabellaspis ("shield from the Brindabella Ranges")

• -avus: Pronunciation: /avus/. Origin: Latin: avus. Meaning: grandfather.

  Examples: Coelurosauravus ("hollow lizard grandfather"); Plateosauravus ("grandfather of Plateosaurus")

• -avis: Pronunciation: /əvɪs/. Origin: Latin: avis. Meaning: bird.

  Examples: Protoavis ("first bird"); Argentavis ("bird from Argentina"); Eoalulavis ("little-winged dawn bird")

• -bates: Pronunciation: /bætiz/. Origin: Ancient Greek: βαίνω ("baínō"). Meaning: wanderer, one that treads.

  Examples: Hylobates ("forest wanderer"); Dendrobates ("tree wanderer")

• brachi-, brachy-: pronunciation: /brækɪ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: βραχύς, βραχίων (brakhús, brakhíōn). Meaning: short, and the short part of the arm, or upper arm, respectively. Used in its original meaning, and also to mean "arm".

  Examples: Brachylophosaurus ("short-crested lizard"); Brachiosaurus ("arm lizard"); Brachyceratops ("short-horned face")

• bronto-: Pronunciation: /brɒntoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: βροντή (brontḗ). Meaning: thunder. Used for large animals.

  Examples: Brontosaurus ("thunder lizard"), Brontotherium ("thunder beast"), Brontoscorpio ("thunder scorpion"); Brontochelys ("thunder turtle")

• -canth, cantho-: see -acanth, acantho-.
• carcharo-: Pronunciation: /kərkæro/. Origin: Ancient Greek: κάρχαρος (kárkharos). Meaning: sharp, jagged; extended via Ancient Greek: καρχαρίας (karkharías) to mean "shark".

  Examples: Carcharodon ("jagged tooth"), Carcharocles ("glorious shark"), Carcharodontosaurus ("shark toothed lizard")

• -cephalus, cephalo-, -cephale, -cephalian: Pronunciation: /sɛfələs/, /sɛfəloʊ̯/, /sɛfəli:/ /sɛfeɪliːən/. Origin: Ancient Greek: κεφαλή (kephalḗ). Meaning: head.

  Examples: Sclerocephalus ("hard head"); Euoplocephalus ("well-armored head"), Pachycephalosaurus ("thick headed lizard"), Amtocephale ("head from Amtgai"); Therocephalian ("beast-headed")

• -ceras, cerat-, -ceratus: Pronunciation: /sɛrəs/, /sɛrət/, /sɛrətəs/. Origin: Ancient Greek: κέρας (kéras). Meaning: horn. Used for many horned animals, but most notably ceratopsians.

  Examples: Stegoceras ("roof horn"); Triceratops ("three-horned face"), Orthoceras ("straight horn"); Megaloceras ("big horn"); Ceratosaurus ("horned lizard"); Microceratops ("small horned face"); rhinoceros ("nose horn"); Albertoceras ("horn from Alberta")

• cetio-, -cetus: Pronunciation: /sɛtɪoʊ/, /siːtəs/. Origin: Ancient Greek κῆτος (kētos). Meaning: sea-monster. The suffix "-cetus" is used for whales or whale ancestors, while the prefix "cetio-" is used for whale-like or large animals.

  Examples: Peregocetus ("travelling whale"); Cetiosaurus ("whale lizard"); Ambulocetus ("walking whale"); Pakicetus ("whale from Pakistan"), "Perucetus" ("whale from Peru")

• -cheirus: Pronunciation: /kaɪrəs/. Origin: Ancient Greek: χείρ (kheír). Meaning: hand.

  Examples: Deinocheirus ("terrible hand"); Ornithocheirus ("bird hand"); Austrocheirus ("southern hand"); Haplocheirus ("simple hand")

• chloro-: Pronunciation: /kloroʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: χλωρός (khlōrós). Meaning: green.

  Examples: Chlorophyta ("green plant"); Chlorophyll ("green leaf")

• choer-: Pronunciation: /koɪroʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: χοίρος (koíros). Meaning: pig.

  Examples: Choeroichthys ("pig-fish"); Choerophryne ("frog pig"); Choerodon ("pig tooth")

• coel-: Pronunciation: /siːl/ or /sɛl/ . Origin: Ancient Greek: κοῖλος (koîlos). Meaning: hollow.

  Examples: coelacanth ("hollow spine"); Coelodonta ("hollow tooth"); Coelophysis ("hollow form"); Amphicoelias ("hollow at both ends")

• cyan-, cyano-: Pronunciation: /saɪæno/. Origin: Ancient Greek: κυάνεος (kuáneos). Meaning: dark blue, blue, dark blue-green.

  Examples: Cyanocitta ("blue jay"); Cyanobacteria ("blue bacteria"); Cyanocorax ("blue raven")

• cyclo-: Pronunciation: /saɪkloʊ/ (or /saɪklɒ/). Origin: Ancient Greek: κύκλος (kúklos). Meaning: circle.

  Examples: Cyclomedusa ("circle Medusa"); Cyclostomata ("circle mouth")

• cyn-, -cyon: Pronunciation: /saɪn/, /saɪɒn/. Origin: Ancient Greek: κύων (kúon). Meaning: dog. Used for dogs or dog-like creatures.

  Examples: Cynodont ("dog tooth"); Cynognathus ("dog jaw"); Cynopterus ("dog wing"); Arctocyon ("bear dog"); Procyonidae ("before the dog");

• -dactyl, -dactylus: Pronunciation: /dæktəl/, /dæktələs/. Origin: Ancient Greek: δάκτυλος (dáktulos). Meaning: finger, toe.

  Examples: artiodactyl ("even toe"); Pterodactylus ("wing finger"); perissodactyl ("uneven toe")

• -deres: Origin: Ancient Greek: δέρη (dére). Meaning: neck, collar.

  Examples: Acanthoderes ("spiny neck")

• -derm: Pronunciation: /dɜrm/. Origin: Ancient Greek: δέρμα (dérma). Meaning: animal hide. Used for skin.

  Examples: placoderm ("plated skin"); echinoderm ("hedgehog skin"); ostracoderm ("shell skin")

• -delphys, -delphis, delpho-: Pronunciation: /dɜlfɪs/, /dɜlfʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: δελφύς ( delphis). Meaning: womb. Used for therian mammals.

  Examples: Sinodelphys ("Chinese womb"); Didelphis ("two wombs"); Didelphodon ("two-womb [ie opossum] tooth"); Delphinius ("with a womb")

• dendro-, -dendron, -dendrum: Pronunciation: /dɛn.dɹoʊ/, /ˈdɛndɹən/, /dɛndɹəm/. Origin: Ancient Greek: δένδρον (déndron). Meaning: tree.

  Examples: Rhododendron ("rose tree"); Liriodendron ("lily tree"); Dendrocnide ("tree nettle"); Epidendrum ("above tree"); Lepidodendron ("scaled tree")

• di-: Pronunciation: /daɪ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: δίς (dís). Meaning: twice. Used to indicate two of something.

  Examples: Dilophosaurus ("two crested lizard"); Diceratops ("two-horned face"); diapsid ("two arches")

• dino-, deino-: Pronunciation: /daɪnoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: δεινός (deinós). Meaning: "terrible", "formidable". Used for presumably fearfully large or dangerous animals or animal parts.

  Examples: dinosaur ("terrible lizard"), Dinofelis ("terrible cat"), Dinornis ("terrible bird"); Deinonychus ("terrible claw"), Deinocheirus ("terrible hand"); Dinodocus ("terrible beam"); Deinosuchus ("terrible crocodile"), Dinohippus ("terrible horse"), Dinosorex ("terrible shrew"); Deinococcus ("terrible grannule")

• diplo-: Pronunciation: /dɪploʊ/, /dɪplo/. Origin: Ancient Greek: διπλόος, διπλοῦς (diplóos, diploûs). Meaning: double.

  Examples: Diplodocus ("double beam"); Diplopoda ("double feet"); Diplomonad ("double unit"); Diplovertebron ("double vertebra")

• -don, -dont, -donto-: see -odon, -odont, -odonto-.
• draco-: Pronunciation: /drakoʊs/ Origin: Ancient Greek: δράκος (drákos). Meaning: dragon.

  Examples: Dracophyllum ("dragon race"); Dracocephalum ("dragon head"); Dracaena ("female dragon")

• dromaeo-, dromeo-, -dromeus: Pronunciation: /droʊmɪoʊ/, /droʊmɪəs/ Origin: Ancient Greek: δρομαῖος (dromaîos). Meaning: runner.

  Examples: Dromaeosaurus ("running lizard"); Kulindadromeus ("runner from Kulinda"); Thalassodromeus ("sea runner"); Eodromaeus ("dawn runner")

• eo-: Pronunciation: /iːoʊ̯/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἠώς (ēṓs). Meaning: dawn. Used for very early appearances of animals in the fossil record.

  Examples: Eohippus ("dawn horse"); Eomaia ("dawn Maia"); Eoraptor ("dawn thief")

• -erpeton: Pronunciation: /ɜrpətɒn/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἑρπετόν (herpetón). Meaning: reptile (literally, "creeping thing"); used for amphibians.

  Examples: Hynerpeton ("creeper from Hyner"); Greererpeton ("creeper from Greer"); Arizonerpeton ("creeper from Arizona"); Albanerpeton ("creeper of La Grive Saint Alban")

• eu-: Pronunciation: /iːu̟/. Origin: Ancient Greek: εὖ (eû). Meaning: "good", "well"; also extended via Neo-Latin to mean "true". Used in a variety of ways, often to indicate well-preserved specimens, well-developed bones, "truer" examples of fossil forms, or simply admiration on the part of the discoverer.

  Examples: Euparkeria ("good one of Parker's"); Euhelopus ("good marsh foot"); Eustreptospondylus ("well-curved vertebrae"); Eucoelophysis ("truly hollow form")

• -felis: Pronunciation: /fiːlɪs/. Origin: Latin: felis, feles. Meaning: cat. "Felis" alone is the genus name for the group that includes the domestic cat.

  Examples: Dinofelis ("terrible cat"); Eofelis ("dawn cat"); Pardofelis ("leopard cat")

• -form, -formes: Pronunciation: /foʊrm/, /foʊrms/. Origin: Latin: forma. Meaning: shape, form. Used for large groups of animals that share similar characteristics; also used in names of bird and fish orders.

  Examples: Galliformes ("chicken form"); Anseriformes ("goose form"); Squaliformes ("shark form")

• giga-, gigant-, giganto-: Pronunciation: /d͡ʒaɪgə/, /d͡ʒaɪgænt/, /d͡ʒaɪgæntoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: γίγας, γῐ́γᾰντος (gígas, gigantos). Meaning: giant, of a giant, respectively. Used for large species.

  Examples: Giganotosaurus ("giant southern lizard"); Gigantopithecus ("giant ape"); Gigantoraptor ("giant seizer"); Gigantopterus ("giant fin"); Gigantspinosaurus ("giant-spined lizard")

• -gnath-, gnatho-, -gnathus: Pronunciation: /neɪθ/, /neɪθoʊ/, /neɪθəs/ (or /gneɪθəs/). Origin: Ancient Greek: γνάθος (gnáthos). Meaning: jaw.

  Examples: Caenagnathasia ("recent jaw from Asia"); Gnathostoma ("jaw mouth"); Cynognathus ("dog jaw"); Compsognathus ("elegant jaw"); Gnathosaurus ("jaw lizard")

• haplo-: Pronunciation: /hæplə/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἁπλῶς- (haplós-). Meaning: simple.

  Examples: Haplorhini ("simple-nosed"); Haplocheirus ("simple hand")

• hemi-: Pronunciation: /hɛmi/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἡμι- (hēmi-). Meaning: half.

  Examples: Hemicyon ("half-dog"); hemichordate ("half-chordate"); Hemiptera ("half-wing")

• hespero-: Pronunciation: /hɛspəroʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἕσπερος (hésperos). Meaning: western (originally, "evening").

  Examples: Hesperornis ("western bird"); Hesperocyon ("western dog"); Hesperosaurus ("western lizard")

• hippus, hippo-: Pronunciation: /hɪpəs/, /hɪpoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἵππος (híppos). Meaning: horse.

  Examples: Eohippus ("dawn horse"); Hippodraco ("horse dragon"); Hippopotamus ("river horse")

• hyl-, hylo-: Pronunciation: /haɪl/, /haɪloʊ/ (or /haɪlɒ/). Origin: Ancient Greek: ὕλη ("húlē"). Meaning: wood, forest.

  Examples: Hylonomus ("forest dweller"); Hylobates ("forest walker"); Hylarana ("forest frog")

• -ia: Pronunciation: /iːə/. Origin: Ancient Greek: -ια, -εια (-ia, -eia). Meaning: an abstraction usually used as an honorific for a person or place.

  Examples: Dickinsonia ("for Dickinson"); Cooksonia ("for Cookson"); Coloradia ("for Colorado"); Edmontonia ("for Edmonton"); Thomashuxleya ("for Thomas Huxley")

• ichthyo-, -ichthys: Pronunciation: /ɪkθioʊs/, /ɪkθis/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἰχθῦς (ikhthûs). Meaning: fish. The suffix "-ichthys" is used for fish, while the prefix "ichthyo-", while used for fish, is also used for fish-like creatures.

  Examples: Ichthyosaurus ("fish lizard"); Leedsichthys ("fish from Leeds"); Haikouichthys ("fish from Haikou"); Ichthyostega ("fish roof")

• -lania, Pronunciation: /læniːə/, Origin: Ancient Greek: ἀλαίνειν (alaínein): Meaning: to wander. Used for animals that are found in most places around continents.

  Examples: Meiolania ("weak wanderer"); Megalania ("great wanderer")

• leo-: Pronunciation: /lɛʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: λέων (léon): Meaning: lion.

  Examples: Leopardus ("spotted lion"); Leontopodium ("lion foot"); Leontopithecus ("lion ape")

• lio-: Pronunciation: /liː.oː/. Origin: Ancient Greek: λειόω (leióō): Meaning: Make smooth

  Examples: Liogramma ("smooth writing"); Liopleurodon ("smooth-sided teeth")

• -lepis, lepido-: Pronunciation: /lɛpɪs/ /lɛpɪdoʊ/ (or /lɛpɪdɒ/). Origin: Ancient Greek: λεπίς (lepis). Meaning: scale.

  Examples: Mongolepis ("Mongolian scale"); Stagonolepis ("ornamented scale"); Polymerolepis ("many part scale"); Lepidosauria ("scaled lizards"); Lepidoptera ("scaled wing"); Lepidodendron ("scaled tree")

• -lestes: Pronunciation: /lɛstiːz/. Origin: Ancient Greek: λῃστής (lēistḗs). Meaning: robber.

  Examples: Carpolestes ("fruit robber"); Ornitholestes ("bird robber"); Sarcolestes ("flesh robber"); Necrolestes ("grave robber")

• long: Pronunciation: /lʊng/. Origin: simplified Chinese: 龙; traditional Chinese: 龍. Meaning: dragon. Used for dinosaur finds in China.

  Examples: Mei long ("sleeping dragon"); Bolong ("small dragon"); Zuolong ("dragon of Zuo"); Shaochilong ("shark toothed dragon")

• -lopho-, -lophus: Pronunciation: /lɒfoʊ/, /ləfəs/. Origin: Ancient Greek: λόφος (lóphos). Meaning: A bird's crest. Used for animals with crests on their heads.

  Examples: Dilophosaurus ("two-crested lizard"); Brachylophosaurus ("short-crested lizard"); Saurolophus ("lizard crest")

• lyco-: Pronunciation: /lɪkoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: λύκος (lýkos). Meaning: wolf.

  Examples: Lycopodium ("wolf foot"); Lycodon ("wolf tooth"); Lycoperdon ("wolf fart")

• macro-: Pronunciation: /mækroʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: μακρός (makrós). Meaning: (correctly) long; (usually) large.

  Examples: macropod ("big foot"); Macrodontophion ("big tooth snake"); Macrogryphosaurus ("big enigmatic lizard")

• -maia, maia-: Pronunciation: /meiə/ Origin: Ancient Greek: Μαῖα (Maîa). Meaning: Originally the mother of Hermes in Greek mythology and the goddess of growth in Roman mythology, alternatively spelled Maja. Frequently used to indicate maternal roles, this word should not be construed as translating directly to "mother" (Latin māter; Ancient Greek μήτηρ mḗtēr); aside from being a proper name, in Ancient Greek "maîa" can translate to "midwife" or "foster mother" and was used as an honorific address for older women, typically translated into English as "Good Mother".

  Examples: Maiasaura ("Good Mother/Maia's lizard"); Eomaia ("dawn Maia"); Juramaia ("Jurassic Maia"); Maiacetus ("mother whale")

• mega-, megalo-: Pronunciation: /mɛga/, /mɛgaloʊ̯/. Origin: Ancient Greek: μέγας, μεγάλη (mégas, megálē). Meaning: big/great.

  Examples: Megarachne ("great spider"); Megalosaurus ("great lizard"); megalodon ("great tooth")

• micro-: Pronunciation: /maɪkroʊ̯/. Origin: Ancient Greek: μικρός (mikrós). Meaning: "small".

  Examples: Microraptor ("small thief"); Microvenator ("small hunter"); Microceratops ("small horned face")

• mimo-, -mimus: /maɪmoʊ̯/, /maɪməs/. Origin: Latin: mimus. Meaning: actor. Used for creatures that resemble others.

  Examples: Struthiomimus; ("ostrich mimic"); Ornithomimus ("bird mimic"); Gallimimus ("chicken mimic"); ornithomimosaur ("bird mimic lizard")

• -monas, -monad: Pronunciation: /moʊnas/, /monas/, /moʊnad/, /monad/. Origin: Ancient Greek: μονάς (monás). Meaning: unit. Used for single-celled organisms.

  Examples: Chlamydomonas ("cloak unit"); Pseudomonas ("false unit"); Metamonad ("encompassing unit")

• -morph: Pronunciation: /moʊrf/. Origin: Ancient Greek: μορφή (morphḗ). Meaning: form, shape. Used for large groups of animals which share a common genetic lineage

  Examples: crocodylomorphs ("crocodile form"); sauropodomorphs ("sauropod form"); Muscomorpha ("fly form"); Dimorphodon ("two shaped teeth")

• -nax, -anax-: Pronunciation: /nax/, /ænax/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ἄναξ (ánax). Meaning: king.

  Examples: Lythronax ("gore lord"); Saurophaganax ("lizard eating lord")

• -noto-: Pronunciation: /notoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: νότος. Meaning: south, southern wind. Used for organisms found in the Southern Hemisphere.

  Examples: Giganotosaurus ("giant southern lizard"); Notosuchus ("southern crocodile"); Notopalaeognathae ("southern old jaws")

• -nych, nycho-, -nyx: see -onych, onycho-, -onyx.
• -odon, -odont, -odonto-: Pronunciation: /oʊdɒn/, /oʊdɒnt/, /oʊdɒntoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ὀδούς (odoús). Meaning: tooth.

  Examples: Dimetrodon ("two-measures of teeth"), cynodont ("dog tooth"); Carcharodontosaurus ("shark tooth lizard")

• -oides, -odes: Pronunciation: /oiːdiːz/, /oʊːdiːz/. Origin: Ancient Greek: εἶδος (eîdos). Meaning: likeness. Used for species that resemble other species.

  Examples: Hypocnemoides ("like Hypocnemis"); Aetobarbakinoides ("like the long-legged buzzard"); Callianthemoides ("like Callianthemum"); Argyrodes ("like silver")

• onycho-, -onychus, -onyx: /ɒnikoʊ/, /ɒnikəs/ (or /ɒnaɪkoʊ/, ɒnaɪkəs/), /ɒniks/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ὄνυξ (ónux). Meaning: claw.

  Examples: Deinonychus ("terrible claw"); Euronychodon ("European claw tooth"); Nothronychus ("sloth claw"), Baryonyx ("heavy claw")

• ophi-: Pronunciation: /ɒfɪs/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ὄφις (óphis). Meaning: snake. Used for Ophidia or snake-like animals.

  Examples: Ophiacodon ("snake tooth"); Ophisaurus ("snake lizard"); Ophiopogon ("snake beard")

• -ops: Pronunciation: /ɒps/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ὄψ (óps). Meaning: face.

  Examples: Triceratops ("three-horned face"); Lycaenops ("wolf face"); Moschops ("calf face"); Spinops ("spine face")

• -ornis, ornith-, ornitho-: Pronunciation: /oʊ̯rnɪs/, /oʊ̯rnɪθ/, /oʊ̯rnɪθoʊ̯/. Origin: Ancient Greek: ὄρνις, ὄρνιθος (órnis, órnithos). Meaning: bird, of a bird respectively. "ornith-" and "ornitho-" are generally used for animals with birdlike characteristics; the suffix "-ornis" is generally applied to fossil bird species.

  Examples: ornithischian ("bird-hipped"); Ornithocheirus ("bird-hand"); Eoconfuciusornis ("dawn bird of Confucius")

• pachy-: Pronunciation: /pæki/ Origin: Ancient Greek: παχύς (pakhús). Meaning: thick.

  Examples: Pachycephalosaurus ("thick-headed lizard"); Pachylemur ("thick lemur"); Pachyuromys ("thick tailed mouse"); Pachydermata ("thick skin")

• para-: Pronunciation: /pærɑː/ Origin: Ancient Greek: παρά (pará). Meaning: near. Used for species that resemble previously named species.

  Examples: Paranthodon ("nearly flower tooth"); Pararhabdodon ("near fluted tooth"); Parasaurolophus ("near lizard crest")

• -pelta: Pronunciation: /pɛltə:/ Origin: Ancient Greek: πέλτη (péltē). Meaning: shield. Frequently used for ankylosaurs.

  Examples: Sauropelta ("lizard shield"); Dracopelta ("dragon shield"); Cedarpelta ("shield from the Cedar Mountains")

• -philus, -phila, philo-: Pronunciation: /fiːləs/, /fiːlə/, /fiːloʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: φίλος (phílos). Meaning: dear, beloved, loving. Used for organisms perceived as having a fondness for a particular thing.

  Examples: Sarcophilus ("flesh-loving"); Drosophila ("dew-loving"); Anthophila ("flower-loving"); Philodendron ("loving trees")

• -phyton, -phyta, phyto-, -phyte: Pronunciation: /faɪtən/, /faitə/, /faɪtoʊ/, /faɪt/. Origin: Ancient Greek: φυτόν (phutón). Meaning: plant.

  Examples: Spermatophyta ("seed plant"); Rhyniophyte ("plant of the Rhynie chert"); Phytophthora ("plant destroyer"); Phytolacca ("plant lac")

• -pithecus, pitheco-: Pronunciation: /piθəkəs/, /piθəkoʊ/, //piθəkə/. Origin: Ancient Greek: πίθηκος (píthēkos). Meaning: ape, monkey.

  Examples: Australopithecus ("southern ape"); Ardipithecus ("floor ape"); Gigantopithecus ("giant ape"); Pithecellobium ("monkey earring")

• platy-: Pronunciation: /ˈplætɪ/. Origin: Ancient Greek πλατύς (platús). Meaning: flat. Used for creatures that are flat or have flat parts.

  Examples: Platyhelminthes ("flat worm"); Platybelodon ("flat spear-tusk"); Platycodon ("flat bell"); platypus ("flat foot")

• plesio-, plesi-: Pronunciation: /pliːziːoʊ/, /pliːz/ (or pliːʒ/). Origin: Ancient Greek πλησίον (plēsíon). Meaning: near. Used for species that bear similarities to other species.

  Examples: Plesiosaurus ("near lizard"); Plesiorycteropus ("near aardvark"); Plesiobaena ("near Baena"); Plesiadapis ("near Adapis")

• -pod, podo-, -pus: Pronunciation: /pɒd/, /pɒdoʊ/, /pʊs/. Origin: Ancient Greek πούς, ποδός (poús, podós). Meaning: foot, of the foot, respectively.

  Examples: Ornithopod ("bird foot"); Brachypodosaurus ("short footed lizard"); Moropus ("slow foot")

• pro-, protero-: pronunciation: /proʊ̯/, /proʊ̯tεroʊ̯/. Origin: Ancient Greek πρό, πρότερος (pró, próteros). Meaning: before. Usually used for ancestral forms.

  Examples: Proterosuchus ("early crocodile"); Procompsognathus ("early elegant jaw"); Prosaurolophus ("early lizard crest")

• proto-: Pronunciation: /proʊtoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek πρῶτος (prōtos). Meaning: first. Used for early appearances in the fossil record.

  Examples: Protoceratops ("first horned face"); Protognathosaurus ("first jaw lizard"); Protohadros ("first hadrosaur")

• psittaco-, -psitta: Pronunciation: /sitɑːkoʊ/, /psitə/. Origin: Ancient Greek ψιττακός (psittakós). Meaning: parrot. "Psittaco-" is used for parrot-like creatures, while the suffix "psitta" is used for parrots.

  Examples: Psittacosaurus ("parrot lizard"); Cyclopsitta ("Cyclops parrot"); Xenopsitta ("strange parrot").

• pter-, ptero-, -pterus, pteryg-, -ptera, -pteryx. Pronunciation: /ter/, /teroʊ/, /pterəs/, /terɪg/, /pterɪx/. Origin: Ancient Greek πτέρυξ, πτέρυγος (pterux, ptérugos). Meaning: wing, of a wing, respectively. Used for many winged creatures, but also expanded to mean "fin", and used for many undersea arthropods. The suffix "-ptera" is also used in orders of winged insects.

  Examples: Pteranodon ("toothless wing"); Pterodactylus ("winged finger"); Eurypterus ("wide wing" or fin); Pterygotus ("winged" or finned); Coleoptera ("sheathed wing"); Archaeopteryx ("ancient wing"); Stenopterygius ("narrow finned")

• -pus: see -pod, -podo-, -pus.
• -raptor, raptor-: Pronunciation: /ræptər/. Origin: Latin raptor. Meaning: "robber, thief". Frequently used for dromaeosaurids or similar animals. The term "raptor" by itself may also be used for a dromeosaurid, a Velociraptor, or originally, a bird of prey.

  Examples: Velociraptor ("speedy thief"); Utahraptor ("thief from Utah"); Raptorex ("thief king")

• -rex: Pronunciation: /rεks/. Origin: Latin rex. Meaning: king. Often used for large or impressive animals.

  Examples: Raptorex ("thief king"); Dracorex ("dragon king"); Tyrannosaurus rex ("tyrant lizard king")

• -rhina, rhino-, -rhinus: Pronunciation: /raɪnə/ /raɪnoʊ̯/, /raɪnəs/. Origin: Ancient Greek ῥίς (rhís). Meaning: nose.

  Examples: Altirhinus ("high nose"); Pachyrhinosaurus ("thick-nosed lizard"); Lycorhinus ("wolf nose"); Arrhinoceratops ("noseless horned face"); Cretoxyrhina ("Cretaceous sharp nose"); rhinoceros ("nose horn")

• rhodo-: Pronunciation: /roʊdoʊ/, /rodoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek ῥόδον (rhódon). Meaning: "rose". Used for red-colored or otherwise rose-like organisms.

  Examples: Rhododendron ("rose tree"); Rhodophyta ("rose plant"); Rhodomonas ("rose unit")

• rhynco-, -rhynchus: Pronunciation: /rɪnkoʊ/, /rɪnkəs/. Origin: Ancient Greek ῥύγχος (rhúgkhos). Meaning: "beak", "snout".

  Examples: Rhamphorhynchus ("beak snout"); Aspidorhynchus ("shield snout"); Ornithorhynchus ("bird snout"); rhynchosaur ("beaked lizard")

• sarco-: Pronunciation: /sɑːrkʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek σάρξ (sárx). Meaning: flesh. Used for flesh-eating animals or animals and plants with fleshy parts

  Examples: Sarcophilus ("flesh-loving"); Sarcopterygii ("fleshy fin"); Sarcosuchus ("flesh crocodile")

• saur, sauro-, -saurus, -saura: Pronunciation: /sɔər/, /sɔəroʊ/, /sɔərəs/, /sɔəra/. Origin: Ancient Greek σαῦρος (saûros). Meaning: lizard. Used for dinosaurs and other extinct reptiles.

  Examples: Dinosaur ("terrible lizard"); Mosasaur ("lizard from the Meuse River"), Tyrannosaurus ("tyrant lizard"), Allosaurus ("other lizard"), Sauroposeidon ("lizard of Poseidon"), Maiasaura ("caring mother lizard"), Bonitasaura ("lizard from La Bonita")

• sin-, sino-: Pronunciation; /sɪn/, /saɪnoʊ̯/. Origin: Latin: Sina. Meaning: from China. Used for ancient and other civilizations.

  Examples: Sinornithosaurus; ("Chinese bird-lizard"); Sinosauropteryx ("Chinese lizard wing"); Sinoceratops ("Chinese horned face"); Sinraptor ("Chinese thief")

• smilo-, -smilus: Pronunciation: /smaɪloʊ/, /smaɪləs/. Origin: Ancient Greek σμίλη (smílē). Meaning: a carving knife or chisel. Used for animals with sabre teeth.

  Examples: Smilodon ("knife tooth"); Smilosuchus ("knife crocodile"); Thylacosmilus ("pouched knife"); Xenosmilus ("strange knife")

• spino-, -spino-, -spinax, -spinus: Pronunciation: /spaɪnə/, /spaɪnæks/, /spaɪnəs/. Origin: Latin: spīna. Meaning: a thorn, a spine.

  Examples: Altispinax ("with high spines"); Gigantspinosaurus ("giant-spined lizard"); Iberospinus ("Iberian spine"); Spinops ("spine face"); Spinosaurus ("spine lizard")

• -spondylus: Pronunciation: /spɒndələs/. Origin: Ancient Greek σπόνδυλος (spóndulos). Meaning: vertebra.

  Examples: Streptospondylus ("curved vertebrae"); Massospondylus ("massive vertebrae"); Bothriospondylus ("excavated vertebrae")

• squali-, squalo-: Pronunciation: /skweɪlɪ/, /skweɪloʊ/ . Origin: Latin squalus. Meaning: a kind of sea fish. Used for shark like creatures.

  Examples: Squalodon ("shark tooth"); Squaliformes ("shark form"); Squalicorax ("shark raven"); Squalomorphii ("shark shape")

• stego-, -stega: Pronunciation: /stɛgoʊ/, /stɛgə/. Origin: Ancient Greek στέγη (stégē). Meaning: roof. Used for armoured or plated animals.

  Examples: Stegosaurus ("roofed lizard"); Ichthyostega ("roofed fish"); Acanthostega ("spine roof")

• strepto-: Pronunciation: /streptoʊ/, /strepto/. Origin: Ancient Greek στρεπτός (streptós). Meaning: twisted, bent.

  Examples: Streptophyta ("curved plant"); Streptococcus ("curved granule"); Streptospondylus ("curved vertebrae")

• -stoma, -stome, -stomus: Pronunciation: /stoʊma/, /stoʊm/, /stoʊməs/. Origin: Ancient Greek στόμα (stóma). Meaning: mouth.

  Examples: deuterostome ("second mouth"); Gnathostoma ("jaw mouth"); Anastomus ("on mouth")

• sucho-, -suchus: Pronunciation: /sjuːkoʊ/, /sjuːkəs/. Origin: Ancient Greek σοῦχος (soûkhos). Meaning:: Originally the Ancient Greek name for the Ancient Egyptian crocodile-headed god, Sobek. Used to denote crocodilians or crocodile-like animals.

  Examples: Deinosuchus ("terrible crocodile"); Anatosuchus ("duck crocodile"), Suchomimus ("crocodile mimic")

• tauro-: /taərəs/. Origin: Latin: taurus. Meaning: bull.

  Examples: Taurotragus ("male goat-bull"); Taurovenator ("bull hunter"); Carnotaurus ("meat bull")

• -teuthis: Pronunciation: /tjuːθɪs/. Origin: Ancient Greek τευθίς (teuthís). Meaning: squid. Used for squids and similar cephalopods.

  Examples: Gonioteuthis ("narrow squid"); Architeuthis ("ruling squid"); Vampyroteuthis ("vampire squid"); Cylindroteuthis ("cylindrical squid")

• thero-, -therium. Pronunciation: /θɛroʊ/, /θiːrɪəm/. Origin: Ancient Greek θήρ (thḗr). Meaning: beast. Used for supposedly monstrous animals. The suffix "-therium" is often used to denote extinct mammals.

  Examples: theropod ("beast foot"), Deinotherium ("terrible beast"); Megatherium ("big beast"); Brontotherium ("thunder beast"); Uintatherium ("beast from the Uinta Mountains")

• thylac-: Pronunciation: /θaɪlæk/. Origin: Ancient Greek θύλακος (thúlakos). Meaning: a sack. In the sense of "pouch", used for marsupials.

  Examples: Thylacine ("pouched one"); Thylacoleo ("pouched lion"); Thylacosmilus ("pouched knife")

• tri-: Pronunciation: /traɪ/. Origin: Ancient Greek τρία (tría). Meaning: three.

  Examples: Triceratops ("three-horned face"); Triconodon ("three coned teeth"); trilobite ("three lobes")

• titano-, -titan: Pronunciation: /taɪtænoʊ/, /taɪtən/. Origin: Ancient Greek Τιτάν, Τιτᾶνος (Titán, Titânos). Meaning: Titan, of the Titan, respectively. Used for large animals.

  Examples: Titanosaurus ("Titan lizard"); Giraffatitan ("giraffe Titan"); Anatotitan ("duck Titan"); Titanotherium ("Titan beast"); Titanoboa ("Titanic boa")

• tyranno-, -tyrannus: Pronunciation: /taɪrænoʊ/, /taɪrænəs/. Origin: Ancient Greek τύραννος (túrannos). Meaning: tyrant. Used for animals similar to Tyrannosaurus.

  Examples: Zhuchengtyrannus ("tyrant from Zhucheng"); Tyrannosaurus ("tyrant lizard"); Nanotyrannus ("dwarf tyrant"); Tyrannotitan ("Titanic tyrant"); Sinotyrannus ("Chinese tyrant"); Suskityrannus ("coyote tyrant")

• -urus, -uro-: Pronunciation: /uːrəs/, /uːroʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek: οὐρά (ourá). Meaning: tail.

  Examples: Dasyurus ("hairy tail"); Coelurosauria ("hollow tail lizards"); Uromastyx ("tail scourge")

• veloci-: Pronunciation: /vəlɑsɪ/. Origin: Latin velox. Meaning: speed.

  Example: Velociraptor ("speedy thief"); Velocisaurus ("speedy lizard")

• -venator: Pronunciation: /vɛnətər/. Origin: Latin venator. Meaning: hunter.

  Examples: Afrovenator ("African hunter"); Juravenator ("hunter from the Jura Mountains"); Scorpiovenator ("scorpion hunter"); Neovenator ("new hunter"); Concavenator ("hunter of Cuenca")

• xeno-: Pronunciation: /zinoʊ/. Origin: Ancient Greek ξένος (xénos). Meaning: strange, stranger. Used for organisms that exhibit unusual traits for their class.

  Examples: Xenosmilus ("strange knife"); Xenotarsosaurus ("strange ankled lizard"); Xenopsitta ("strange parrot"); Xenocyon ("strange dog"); Xenokeryx ("strange horn"); Xenostega ("strange roof"); Xenohyla ("strange hynadae"); Xenozancla ("strange animal"); Xenodermus ("strange skin")

• -zoon, -zoa: Pronunciation: /zoʊɑːn/, /zoʊə/. Origin: Ancient Greek ζῷον (zōion). Meaning: animal. Used for broad categories of animals, or in certain names of animals.

  Examples: Metazoa ("encompassing animals"); Parazoa ("near animals"); Ecdysozoa ("moulting animals"); Yunnanozoon ("animal from Yunnan"); Yuyuanozoon ("animal from Yu Yuan")

See also

• List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names
• List of Greek and Latin roots in English
• List of Latin words with English derivatives
• List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes
• Latin names of cities

This page was last edited on 7 April 2024, at 06:50