How do you pronounce it???

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Hey, GeoTerraTestudo- do you know the meaning of Latin bird names too, or just reptiles?

As a biologist, I have come to understand some Latin and Greek, despite never having studied them formally as foreign languages. Knowing Romance languages like Spanish and French also helps in figuring out Latin, which of course gave rise to them.

All of that is to say, throw out any scientific name you like, and I'll take a crack at it.

 

[Momof4]

Love this thread!!! I have not heard many of these words in person either but I think I have done a pretty good job pronouncing most of them! You learn something new everyday!

 

[Moozillion]

I know that the Mourning Dove is Zenaida macroura, and Ruby Throated Humming Birds are Archilocus colubris, but neither is in my "Latin Names Explained." Nor can I find translations on the Internet. Whatcha think?

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I know that the Mourning Dove is Zenaida macroura, and Ruby Throated Humming Birds are Archilocus colubris, but neither is in my "Latin Names Explained." Nor can I find translations on the Internet. Whatcha think?

1) For mourning dove (Zenaida macroura):

Zenaida - Refers to Princess Zénaïde Laetitia Julie Bonaparte (related to Napoleon Bonaparte). The Iberian name Zenaida itself means "of Zeus (King of the Greek gods)," i.e. royal.

macroura - From the Greek "macro" (long) and "ura" (tail). Thus, macroura means "long tail."

So, Zenaida macroura means "Princess Zenaida's long-tailed dove." The pronunciation is "Zen-EYE-duh mack-roh-YER-uh."

2) For Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris):

Archilochus - From the Greek "archi," meaning ancient and chief, and "lochus," meaning ambush and platoon. Thus, I think Archilochus here means "Master warrior" (and indeed, hummingbirds do fight fiercely with each other).

colubris - From the Latin "coluber," meaning snake (see above post about the snake family Colubridae). So, in this context, I think colubris means "glistening like a snake" (although I suppose it could refer to the long, snake-like tongue).

So, I think Archilochus colubris means "Master warrior that glistens like a snake" (or "Master warrior with a long, snake-like tongue"). The pronunciation is "Ark-i-LOH-kuss kull-OO-briss."

 

[Moozillion]

WOO HOO!! Thanks BUNCHES, Geo! I may go back and dig up some others!

 

[Moozillion]

Ok- I knew I had at least 1 more. Carolina chickadee is Poecile carolinensis. The carolinensis is a no-brainer, but I can't find the meaning of Poecile. Thoughts?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I actually took Latin in highschool, and I'll say it has come in handy in latter years understanding herp nomenclature.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Ok- I knew I had at least 1 more. Carolina chickadee is Poecile carolinensis. The carolinensis is a no-brainer, but I can't find the meaning of Poecile. Thoughts?

Poecile comes from the Greek Poikilo, meaning "variable, variegated," i.e. having different colors in irregular patches or streaks. The chickadee's appearance does fit that description. And, as you know, the Latin suffix -ensis means "from" (modern Spanish retains the similar suffix -ense). So, carolinensis means "from Carolina." Therefore, Poecile carolinensis essentially means "Variegated bird from Carolina." Its pronunciation is "Pee-SILL-ee kerr-oh-linn-ENN-siss."

BTW - The chickadee's genus name is similar to Poecilia, which is the genus of fish that contains mollies and guppies. Its pronunciation is similar: "Pee-SILL-ee-uh."

PS - The term "poikilothermic ectotherm" refers to the "cold-blooded" metabolism of fish, amphibians, and reptiles, which is affected by the external temperature (ecto- and therm-), and therefore variable (poikilo-).

---

I actually took Latin in highschool, and I'll say it has come in handy in latter years understanding herp nomenclature.

That's really cool. How many years did you study Latin? A friend of mine took it for several years in high school, too, and he got a lot out of it.

 

[Moozillion]

I actually took Latin in highschool, and I'll say it has come in handy in latter years understanding herp nomenclature.

Wish I'd taken Latin in either high school (don't think it was offered) or college!

---

OK, as long as you're game, GeoTT, I've got a few more.

Culex quinquefasciatus- I know Culex means mosquito, but can't figure out the other.
Aedes albopictus- I know Aedes means "house" or "temple," (not sure how that applies to mosquitoes!) but can't get the albopicuts part.
Aedes vexans- THAT I got!! Floodwater mosquitoes ARE vexing little buggers!
Photinus sp- I know this is lightening bugs, and the "phot-" part obviously applies to light, but that's as far as I get.
Tibicen canicularis- ("Dog-day Cicada") I'm pretty sure the Tibicen is flutist or piper, and canicularis obviously applies to the "dog days." Am I right?

BTW this is all because I'm trying to PUSH my brain to work harder on memorizing things: I'm 58 and my dad has dementia, so I'm trying to keep the old gray cells active! I choose all these critters because they are things I see or hear daily.

Thanks bunches- It's fun to find other "word nerds!"

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

LOL ... yeah, I am a "word nerd." Okay, here we go.

Culex quinquefasciatus- I know Culex means mosquito, but can't figure out the other.

quinque = five
fasciatus = stripe
quinquefasciatus = five stripes

Aedes albopictus- I know Aedes means "house" or "temple," (not sure how that applies to mosquitoes!) but can't get the albopicuts part.

albo = white
pictus = spot
albopictus = white spot

Photinus sp- I know this is lightening bugs, and the "phot-" part obviously applies to light, but that's as far as I get.

Yes, phot- means "light," so I can only assume that -inus means "producer of," but I'm not sure.

Tibicen canicularis- ("Dog-day Cicada") I'm pretty sure the Tibicen is flutist or piper, and canicularis obviously applies to the "dog days." Am I right?

Yes, Tibicen means "flute player." Canicularis means "pertaining to the Dog Star." The dog days of summer are called that because that's the time of year when the Dog Star is in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere. The Dog Star, Sirius, is so called because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (the Greater Dog).

 

[Moozillion]

THANKS so much, GeoTT!!

Now that I know you're The Latin Explanation Guy, I may track you down from time to time with more stuff!

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

THANKS so much, GeoTT!!

Now that I know you're The Latin Explanation Guy, I may track you down from time to time with more stuff!

Feel free. I'll do my best!

BTW - I think the mosquito genus Aedes (house, building, or temple) simply refers to how common these insects are - literally household pests. It's a bit like the words domesticus and familiaris for some domestic animals; I think here they all just mean "well-known."

 

[Derrick]

Well I know exactly how you experience. I have no actual real life, turtle buddies so all the terms I know are from how I understand them on the community. I felt so dumb when, I frequented Mark in San diego and i was saying factors all incorrect.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

GeoTT what is the correct pronunciation for "pardalis"

I currently say it as, par- dallas

I've never heard anyone else audibly say this yet.

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

GeoTT what is the correct pronunciation for "pardalis"

I currently say it as, par- dallas

I've never heard anyone else audibly say this yet.

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

Yep, you got it right: "parr-DAL-uss"