Terms relating to colour are frequently encountered in the make-up of the scientific names of aquatic animals, particularly in those names referring to fishes.
General colour terms.
Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
---|---|---|---|
-chroa | Greek, (χρως, χροος) | skin, skin colour, colour | Enchelycore carychroa, the Caribbean chestnut moray |
-color | Latin | colour, hue, tint | Centropyge multicolor, the Multicolor angelfish |
nebulosa | Latin, nebulosus | cloudy, misty; with unevenly blended colours | Echidna nebulosa, the Snowflake moray |
pictus | Latin, pingo | painted, coloured; of various colours | Antennarius pictus, the Painted frogfish |
variegatus | Latin, variego | to be made of various sorts or colours, to be variegated | Synodus variegatus, the Variegated lizardfish |
Red.
Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
---|---|---|---|
carneus | Latin | of flesh, flesh-coloured | Dascyllus carneus, the Cloudy dascyllus |
cerasinus | Latin | cherry-coloured | Pholidochromis cerasina, the Cherry Dottyback |
coccineus cocci- | Latin | scarlet-coloured | Antennatus coccineus, the Scarlet frogfish |
cruentata | Latin, cruento | to make bloody, spot with blood; dye red, tinge with red, stain | Cephalopholis cruentata, the Graysby |
-erythrum | Greek, eruthros (ερυθρος) | red | Sargocentron xantherythrum, the Hawaiian squirrelfish |
flamm- | Latin, flamma | flame, fire; flame-coloured | Pseudochromis flammicauda, the Firetail dottyback |
ignitus | Latin | fiery, glowing | Pseudanthias ignitus, the Flame anthias |
haema- | Greek, haima (αιμα) | blood-red | Corythoichthys haematopterus, the Messmate pipefish |
miniata | Latin, minio | to colour with red-lead, red-coloured | Cephalopholis miniata, the Coral hind |
rubicundus | Latin | red, ruddy | Hypsypops rubicundus, the Garibaldi damselfish |
rubre rubrus rubrum | Latin, rubeo | to be red, ruddy | Sargocentron rubrum, the Redcoat |
rubri- | Latin, rubrico | to colour red | Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata, the Redmargin shrimpgoby |
rufus | Latin | red, reddish | Bodianus rufus, the Spanish hogfish |
Yellow, Orange, and Gold.
Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
---|---|---|---|
aurantia aurant- | Latin, aurantius | gold coloured, orange-coloured | Centropyge aurantia, the Golden angelfish |
aureus aur- | Latin, aureus, aurum | of gold, golden, gold colour | Amblyglyphidodon aureus, the Golden damselfish |
chrysus chrys-- | Greek, khrusos (χρυσος) | gold | Chaetodontoplus chrysocephalus, the Orangeface angelfish |
citrinus | Latin, citrus | lemon yellow | Gobiodon citrinus, the Poison goby |
flavescens | Latin, flavesco | to become golden yellow, turn light yellow | Zebrasoma flavescens, the Yellow tang |
flav- | Latin, flavus | yellow, golden | Chrysiptera flavipinnis, the Yellowfin damselfish. |
fulva | Latin, fulvus | deep yellow, reddish yellow, gold coloured, tawny | Cephalopholis fulva, the Coney |
galba | Latin, galbus | yellow | Chrysiptera galba, the Canary demoiselle |
lute- luteus | Latin, luteus | golden-yellow, saffron-yellow, orange-yellow | Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus, the Yellowband wrasse |
lutescens | Latin | yellowish, becoming yellow | Thalassoma lutescens, the Yellow-brown wrasse |
sandaracinos | Greek, sandarakinos (σανδαρακινος) | of orange colour | Amphiprion sandaracinos, the Yellow clownfish |
sulfureus | Latin | of sulphur, sulphurous, sulphureous; Sulphur yellow | Pomacentrus sulfureus, the Sulphur damsel |
xanthus xanth- | Greek, xanthos (ξανθος) | yellow | Paracirrhites xanthus, the Golden Hawkfish |
Green, Blue, Violet, and Purple.
Green | |||
---|---|---|---|
Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
chloro- | Greek, khloros (χγωρος) | greenish-yellow, pale green, yellow | Halichoeres chloropterus, the Pastel-green wrasse |
olivaceus | Latin | Olive-coloured, greyish-green | Acanthurus olivaceus, the Orangespot surgeonfish |
viridescens | Latin | becoming green | Balistoides viridescens, the Titan triggerfish |
viridis | Latin | green | Chromis viridis, the Blue green damselfish |
Blue | |||
---|---|---|---|
Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
caeruleus caerule- coeruleus | Latin, caeruleus | like the sky, azure, blue, dark blue, blue coloured | Chrysiptera caeruleolineata, the Blueline demoiselle |
coelestis | Latin, caelestis | of heaven, from heaven, of the heavens, heavenly, celestial; sky blue | Pomacentrus coelestis, the Neon damselfish |
cyaneus cyanea cyan- | Latin, cyaneus Greek, kuanos (κυανεος) | dark blue, sea blue | Paracheilinus cyaneus, the Blue flasherwrasse |
cymatilis | Latin, cumatilis Greek, kuma (κυμα) | of the waves, sea-coloured, blue | Chrysiptera cymatilis, the Milne Bay Demoiselle. |
glauc- | Latin, glaucus | bright, sparkling, gleaming; bluish grey, greyish | Coryphopterus glaucofraenum, the Bridled goby |
indigo | Greek, indikos (ινδικος) | Indian dye; the colour indigo | Hypoplectrus indigo, the Indigo hamlet |
livid- | Latin, lividus | a leaden color, bluish, blue | Ecsenius lividanalis, the Blackspot coralblenny |
Violet and Purple | |||
---|---|---|---|
Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
io- | Greek, ion (ιον) | violet | Chromis iomelas, the Half-and-half chromis |
janthin- | Latin, ianthinus | violet-blue, violet | Pervagor janthinosoma, the Blackbar filefish |
porphyrea | Greek, porphura (πορφυρα) | purple dye, purple | Pictichromis porphyrea, the Magenta dottyback |
purpureus | Latin | purple-coloured, purple, dark-red | Hoplolatilus purpureus, the Purple sand tilefish |
Black, Brown, and “Dark”.
Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
---|---|---|---|
atr- atro | Latin, ater | black, coal-black, gloomy, dark | Chromis atripectoralis, the Black-axil chromis |
ferrug- | Latin, ferrugo | iron rust, rust-coloured | Centropyge ferrugata, the Rusty angelfish |
funebris | Latin | funeral, deadly, fatal, funereal; dark colouration | Gymnothorax funebris, the Green moray |
fuscus | Latin | dark, swarthy, dusky, tawny | Pseudochromis fuscus, the Brown dottyback |
mela- melano- melan- | Greek, melanos (μελανος), | black, dark | Chaetodontoplus melanosoma, the Black-velvet angelfish |
niger nigri- | Latin, niger | black, sable, dark, dusky | Melichthys niger, the Black triggerfish |
nigricans | Latin, nigrico | to be blackish | Hypoplectrus nigricans, the Black hamlet |
nigroris | Latin, nigror | blackness | Neoglyphidodon nigroris, the Black-and-gold chromis |
tabac- | Latin, tabacum | tobacco, tobacco-coloured; pale brown | Serranus tabacarius, the Tobaccofish |
White and Silver.
Latin/Greek | Language | English | Example |
---|---|---|---|
alb- | Latin, albus | white | Variola albimarginata, the White-edged lyretail |
argenteus | Latin | of silver, made of silver | Monodactylus argenteus, the Silver moony |
leuco- leuc- | Greek, leukos (λευκος) | white | Amphiprion leucokranos, the Whitebonnet anemonefish |
nitida | Latin, nitidus | shining, glittering, gleaming, bright, polished, clear | Chromis nitida, the Barrier reef chromis |