Defining the Genus
Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:57 pm
Have you ever wondered what all these scientific names mean?
well wonder no more.
I have been researching these for the last few weeks and have come up with the following list.
These are all the 'loaches' that I could find info on
some still need a root and definition, so if anyone can help there it would be appreciated.
I hope that you find this as interesting as I did and I have found that seeing the names broken down to thier roots has helped with the pronunciation of them.
Balitoridae
Aborichthys Greek, a = without + Greek, boros = gluttonous + Greek, ichthys = fish
Acanthocobitis Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Annamia Greek, ananeomai = to reappear
Balitora After the island Bali + old English, tor = rock
Barbatula Diminutive of Latin barba = beard
Barbucca Latin barba = beard + Latin, bucca = mouth
Beaufortia In honour of Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort, 1879-1968
Bhavania (any clues?)
Crossostoma Greek krossoi = tassel + Greek, stoma = mouth
Cryptotora Greek, kryptos = hidden + old English, tor = rock
Dzihunia (any clues?)
Ellopostoma Greek, ellops = a kind of serpent + Greek, stoma = mouth
Erromyzon In honour of Luis Enrique Erro + Greek, myzon = to suckle
Gastromyzon Greek, gaster = stomach + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Glaniopsis Greek, glanis = a fish that can eat the bait without touching the hook + Greek, opsis = appearance
Hemimyzon Greek, hemi = half + Greek, myzon = to suckle
Homaloptera Greek, homalos = flat + Greek, pteron = wing
Hypergastromyzon Greek, hyper = over + Greek, gaster = stomach + Greek, myzon = to suckle
Katibasia (any clues?)
Lefua A Niuean word that means "kingship", "royalty"; Niue is a Polynesian island.
Lepturichthys Greek, leptos = thin + Greek, oura = tail + Greek, ichthys = fish
Liniparhomaloptera Latin, linea = line + Latin, par = two + Greek, homalos = flat + Greek, pteron = wing
Longischistura Latin, longus = long + Greek, schistos = divided + Greek, oura = tail
Mesonoemacheilus Greek, mesos = half + Greek, nema = fialement + Greek, cheilos = lip
Micronemacheilus Greek, mikros = small + Greek, nema = fialement + Greek, cheilos = lip
Nemacheilus Greek, nema = filament + Greek, cheilos = lip
Neohomaloptera Greek, neos = new + Greek, homalos = flat + Greek, pteron = wing
Neonoemacheilus Greek, neos = new + Greek, nema = filament + Greek, cheilos = lip
Oreonectes Greek, oreos = mountain + Greek, nekton = swimmer
Oxynoemacheilus derived from Oxygen + Greek, nema = fialement + Greek, cheilos = lip
Paracobitis Greek, para = the side of + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Paraprotomyzon Greek, para = the side of + Greek, protos = the first + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Parhomaloptera Greek, para = near + Greek, homalos = flat + Greek, pteron = wing
Physoschistura Greek, physa = bellows + Greek, schizein = divided + Greek, oura = tail
Plesiomyzon Greek, plesios = near + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Protomyzon Greek, protos = the first + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Pseudogastromyzon Greek, pseudes = false + Greek, gaster = stomach + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Schistura Greek, schizein = to divide + Greek, oura = tail
Sectoria Latin, sectator = follower
Seminemacheilus Greek, semi = half + Greek, nema = filament + Greek, cheilos = lip
Sewellia (any clues?)
Sinogastromyzon Latin, sino = from China + Greek, gaster = stomach + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Sinohomaloptera Latin, sino = from China + Greek, homaloptera = unequal wing
Sphaerophysa Greek, sphaira = ball + Greek, physa = tube
Sundoreonectes Composed from Sunda, Asiatic island + Greek, oreos = mountain + Greek, nekton = swimmer
Travancoria From Travancore, a city in the south Indian state of Kerala
Triplophysa Greek, triplos = thrice + Greek, physa = tube
Tuberoschistura Latin, tuberosus = form of a tuber + Greek, schizein = to divide + Greek, oura = tail
Vaillantella (any clues)
Vanmanenia (any clues)
Yunnanilus From Yunnan, city in southwest China
Cobitidae
Acanthopsoides Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, ops = similar + Greek, oides = looks like
Acantopsis Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, ops = similar
Botia Regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier (any ideas what part of Asia and which particular language)
Chromobotia Greek, chromo = coloured + regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier
Cobitis Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Enobarbichthys Greek, eno = improves + Latin, barba = beard + Greek, ichthys = fish
Iksookimia A Korean name (an english translation would be nice to know)
Koreocobitis Composed from Korea + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Kottelatlimia In honour of M. Kottelat + A Portuguese city; today called Ponte de Lima
Lepidocephalichthys Greek, lepas = limpet + Greek, ichtys = fish
Lepidocephalus Greek, lepis = scale + Greek, kephale = head
Leptobotia Greek, leptos = thin + Regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier
Misgurnus not a gurnard (I'd like to know the root of this)
Neoeucirrhichthys Greek, neos = new + Greek, eu = good + Latin, cirrus = curl
Niwaella (any clues?)
Pangio (any clues?)
Parabotia Greek, para = the side of + Regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier
Paramisgurnus Greek, para = the side of + not a gurnard
Protocobitis Greek, protos = the first + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Sabanejewia In honour of P. Sabanejev, an expert in plankton
Serpenticobitis Latin, serpens = serpent + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Sinibotia Latin, sino = from China + Regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier
Somileptus Greek, soma = body + Greek, leptos = thin
Syncrossus Greek, syn = together + Greek krossoi = tassel
Yasuhikotakia In honour of Yasuhiko Taki, Japanese ichthyologist
Rhyacichthyidae
Rhyacichthys Greek, rhyax = stream + Greek, ichthys = fish
Please note;
I do not profess to be a linguist or have any qualifications in the Classics, however my roots and translations of each Genus is as acurate as I can find on the net.
If you find any errors please point them out and I'll amend them.
My thanks to
Mad Duff & Graeme Robson
for their help on a few definitions
well wonder no more.
I have been researching these for the last few weeks and have come up with the following list.
These are all the 'loaches' that I could find info on
some still need a root and definition, so if anyone can help there it would be appreciated.
I hope that you find this as interesting as I did and I have found that seeing the names broken down to thier roots has helped with the pronunciation of them.
Balitoridae
Aborichthys Greek, a = without + Greek, boros = gluttonous + Greek, ichthys = fish
Acanthocobitis Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Annamia Greek, ananeomai = to reappear
Balitora After the island Bali + old English, tor = rock
Barbatula Diminutive of Latin barba = beard
Barbucca Latin barba = beard + Latin, bucca = mouth
Beaufortia In honour of Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort, 1879-1968
Bhavania (any clues?)
Crossostoma Greek krossoi = tassel + Greek, stoma = mouth
Cryptotora Greek, kryptos = hidden + old English, tor = rock
Dzihunia (any clues?)
Ellopostoma Greek, ellops = a kind of serpent + Greek, stoma = mouth
Erromyzon In honour of Luis Enrique Erro + Greek, myzon = to suckle
Gastromyzon Greek, gaster = stomach + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Glaniopsis Greek, glanis = a fish that can eat the bait without touching the hook + Greek, opsis = appearance
Hemimyzon Greek, hemi = half + Greek, myzon = to suckle
Homaloptera Greek, homalos = flat + Greek, pteron = wing
Hypergastromyzon Greek, hyper = over + Greek, gaster = stomach + Greek, myzon = to suckle
Katibasia (any clues?)
Lefua A Niuean word that means "kingship", "royalty"; Niue is a Polynesian island.
Lepturichthys Greek, leptos = thin + Greek, oura = tail + Greek, ichthys = fish
Liniparhomaloptera Latin, linea = line + Latin, par = two + Greek, homalos = flat + Greek, pteron = wing
Longischistura Latin, longus = long + Greek, schistos = divided + Greek, oura = tail
Mesonoemacheilus Greek, mesos = half + Greek, nema = fialement + Greek, cheilos = lip
Micronemacheilus Greek, mikros = small + Greek, nema = fialement + Greek, cheilos = lip
Nemacheilus Greek, nema = filament + Greek, cheilos = lip
Neohomaloptera Greek, neos = new + Greek, homalos = flat + Greek, pteron = wing
Neonoemacheilus Greek, neos = new + Greek, nema = filament + Greek, cheilos = lip
Oreonectes Greek, oreos = mountain + Greek, nekton = swimmer
Oxynoemacheilus derived from Oxygen + Greek, nema = fialement + Greek, cheilos = lip
Paracobitis Greek, para = the side of + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Paraprotomyzon Greek, para = the side of + Greek, protos = the first + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Parhomaloptera Greek, para = near + Greek, homalos = flat + Greek, pteron = wing
Physoschistura Greek, physa = bellows + Greek, schizein = divided + Greek, oura = tail
Plesiomyzon Greek, plesios = near + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Protomyzon Greek, protos = the first + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Pseudogastromyzon Greek, pseudes = false + Greek, gaster = stomach + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Schistura Greek, schizein = to divide + Greek, oura = tail
Sectoria Latin, sectator = follower
Seminemacheilus Greek, semi = half + Greek, nema = filament + Greek, cheilos = lip
Sewellia (any clues?)
Sinogastromyzon Latin, sino = from China + Greek, gaster = stomach + Greek, myzo = to suckle
Sinohomaloptera Latin, sino = from China + Greek, homaloptera = unequal wing
Sphaerophysa Greek, sphaira = ball + Greek, physa = tube
Sundoreonectes Composed from Sunda, Asiatic island + Greek, oreos = mountain + Greek, nekton = swimmer
Travancoria From Travancore, a city in the south Indian state of Kerala
Triplophysa Greek, triplos = thrice + Greek, physa = tube
Tuberoschistura Latin, tuberosus = form of a tuber + Greek, schizein = to divide + Greek, oura = tail
Vaillantella (any clues)
Vanmanenia (any clues)
Yunnanilus From Yunnan, city in southwest China
Cobitidae
Acanthopsoides Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, ops = similar + Greek, oides = looks like
Acantopsis Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, ops = similar
Botia Regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier (any ideas what part of Asia and which particular language)
Chromobotia Greek, chromo = coloured + regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier
Cobitis Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Enobarbichthys Greek, eno = improves + Latin, barba = beard + Greek, ichthys = fish
Iksookimia A Korean name (an english translation would be nice to know)
Koreocobitis Composed from Korea + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Kottelatlimia In honour of M. Kottelat + A Portuguese city; today called Ponte de Lima
Lepidocephalichthys Greek, lepas = limpet + Greek, ichtys = fish
Lepidocephalus Greek, lepis = scale + Greek, kephale = head
Leptobotia Greek, leptos = thin + Regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier
Misgurnus not a gurnard (I'd like to know the root of this)
Neoeucirrhichthys Greek, neos = new + Greek, eu = good + Latin, cirrus = curl
Niwaella (any clues?)
Pangio (any clues?)
Parabotia Greek, para = the side of + Regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier
Paramisgurnus Greek, para = the side of + not a gurnard
Protocobitis Greek, protos = the first + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Sabanejewia In honour of P. Sabanejev, an expert in plankton
Serpenticobitis Latin, serpens = serpent + Greek, kobitis = a kind of sardine
Sinibotia Latin, sino = from China + Regional Asian native word = warrior or soldier
Somileptus Greek, soma = body + Greek, leptos = thin
Syncrossus Greek, syn = together + Greek krossoi = tassel
Yasuhikotakia In honour of Yasuhiko Taki, Japanese ichthyologist
Rhyacichthyidae
Rhyacichthys Greek, rhyax = stream + Greek, ichthys = fish
Please note;
I do not profess to be a linguist or have any qualifications in the Classics, however my roots and translations of each Genus is as acurate as I can find on the net.
If you find any errors please point them out and I'll amend them.
My thanks to
Mad Duff & Graeme Robson
for their help on a few definitions
