Scientific Names for Pokémon | 019-024, 172, 025-026

>> See the previous post in my Scientific Names for Pokémon series

019-020: Rattata, Raticate

Generic Epithet: Dentisorex ("tooth-rat")

• "dēns, dentis " - tooth + "sōrex, sōricis " - rat
• -- > [ denti- ] + [ sōric- ] -- stems
• -- > [ dentisōric- ] -- new stem
• = "dentisōrex " -- new Latin word meaning tooth-rat

Specific Epithets:

• Rattata: Dentisorex lascivus ("mischievous tooth-rat")
• Raticate: Dentisorex magnidens ("big-toothed tooth-rat")
• "magnus -a -um " - big + "dēns, dentis " - tooth
• -- > [ magno- ] + [ dent- ] -- stems
• -- > [ magno- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ dent- ] -- components
• -- > [ magni- ] + [ dent- ] -- connecting vowel assimilates final o in [ magno- ]
• -- > [ magnident- ] -- new stem
• = "magnidens, magnidens, magnidens " -- new Latin adjective meaning big-toothed (cf. bidens, tridens)

021-022: Spearow, Fearow

Generic Epithet: Accipitripasser ("hawk-sparrow")

• "accipiter, accipitris " - hawk + "passer, passeris " - sparrow
• -- > [ accipitr- ] + [ passer- ] -- stems
• -- > [ accipitr- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ passer- ] -- components
• -- > [ accipitripasser- ] -- new stem
• = "accipitripasser, accipitripasseris " -- new Latin word meaning hawk-sparrow

Specific Epithets:

• Spearow: Accipitripasser volitans ("flitting hawk-sparrow")
• Fearow: Accipitripasser involans ("swooping hawk-sparrow")

023-024: Ekans, Arbok

Generic Epithet: Toxicanguis ("poisonous-snake")

• "toxicus -a -um " - poisonous + "anguis, anguis " - snake
• -- > [ toxico- ] + [ angui- ] -- stems
• -- > [ toxic- ] + [ angui- ] -- starting a in [ angui- ] assimilates ending o in [ toxico- ]
• -- > [ toxicangui- ] -- new stem
• = "toxicanguis, toxicanguis " -- new Latin word meaning poisonous-snake

Specific Epithets:

• Ekans: Toxicanguis ovivorus ("egg-eating poisonous-snake")
• Arbok: Toxicanguis constrictor ("constricting poisonous-snake")

172, 025-026: Pichu, Pikachu, Raichu

Generic Epithet: Electricimus ("electric-mouse")

• "ēlectricus -a -um " - electric + "mūs, muris " - mouse
• -- > [ ēlectrico- ] + [ muri- ] -- stems
• -- > [ ēlectrico- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ muri- ] -- components
• -- > [ ēlectrici- ] + [ muri- ] -- connecting vowel assimilates ending o in [ ēlectrico- ]
• -- > [ ēlectricimuri- ] -- new stem
• = "ēlectricimūs, ēlectricimuris " - new Latin word meaning electric-mouse

Specific Epithets:

• Pichu: Electricimus scintillans ("sparking electric-mouse")
• Pikachu: Electricimus fulguribuccatus ("thunderbolt-cheeked electric-mouse")
• "fulgur, fulguris " - thunderbolt + "bucca, buccae " - cheek
• -- > [ fulgur- ] + [ buccā- ] -- stems
• -- > [ fulgur- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ buccā- ] -- components
• -- > [ fulguribuccā- ] -- new stem implying thunderbolt-cheeks
• -- > [ fulguribuccā- ] + [ āto- ] -- stem of -ātus -a -um, the suffix meaning "provided with"
• -- > [ fulguribucc- ] + [ āto- ] -- starting ā in [ āto- ] assimilates ending ā in [ fulguribucc- ]
• -- > [ fulguribuccāto- ] -- new stem
• = "fulguribuccātus -a -um " -- new Latin adjective meaning thunderbolt-cheeked.
• Raichu: Electricimus fulminatus ("lightning-armed electric-mouse")

Image Sources:

• Rattata, Raticate
• Spearow, Fearow
• Ekans, Arbok
• Pichu, Pikachu, Raichu

Scientific Names for Pokémon | 010-018

>> See the previous post in my Scientific Names for Pokémon series

010-012: Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree

Generic Epithet: Erucella ("little caterpillar")

Specific Epithets:

• Caterpie: Erucella filiproicienta ("string-shooting little-caterpillar")
• "filum" - string + "prōiciēns" - shooting, firing, projecting
• -- > [ filo- ] + [ prōicient- ] -- stems
• -- > [ filo- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ prōicient- ] -- with connecting vowel
• -- > [ fili- ] + [ prōicient- ] -- connecting vowel assimilates final o in [ filo- ]
• -- > [ filiprōicient- ] -- new stem
• = "filiprōicientus -a -um" -- new Latin word meaning "string-shooting"
• Metapod: Erucella transformans ("transforming little-caterpillar")
• Butterfree: Erucella papilioniformis ("papilioniform little-caterpillar")

013-015: Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill

Generic Epithet: Venenapicula ("little poison bee")

• "venēnum" - poison + "apicula " - little bee
• -- > [ venēno- ] + [ apiculā- ] -- stems
• -- > [ venēn- ] + [ apiculā- ] -- leading a in [ apiculā- ] assimilates final o in [ venēno- ]
• -- > [ venēnapiculā- ] -- new stem
• = "venēnapicula" -- new Latin word for little poison bee

Specific Epithets:

• Weedle: Venenapicula vermiformis ("vermiform little-poison-bee")
• Kakuna: Venenapicula tecta ("sheltered little-poison-bee")
• Beedrill: Venenapicula acuta ("sharp little-poison-bee")

016-018: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot

Generic Epithet: Graminicolumba ("grass-pigeon")

• "grāmen, grāminis " - grass + "columba, columbae " - pigeon
• -- > [ grāmin- ] + [ columbā- ] -- stems
• -- > [ grāmin- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ columbā- ] -- components
• -- > [ grāmini- ] + [ columbā- ]
• -- > [ grāminicolumbā- ] -- new stem
• = "grāminicolumba" -- new Latin word for grass-pigeon

Specific Epithets:

• Pidgey: Graminicolumba parvula ("tiny grass-pigeon")
• Pidgeotto: Graminicolumba unguiculata ("clawed grass-pigeon")
• Pidgeot: Graminicolumba velox ("swift grass-pigeon")

Image Sources:

• Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree
• Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill
• Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot

Scientific Names for Pokémon | Pokémon Kingdom, 001-009

As this is a daunting and long task, I'm doing this on a new blog rather than on my Tumblr blog. This will be a test of Latin word formation skills, and I'll hopefully be learning some Greek word formation skills along the way.

I'll first start with the Latin word for Pokémon, as I feel that would be the best name for the taxonomic kingdom of Pokémon.

Pokémon

Kingdom Epithet: Sinimōnstra

• "sinus" - pocket + "mōnstrum" - monster
• -- > [ sinu- ] + [ mōnstro- ] -- stems
• -- > [ sinu- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ mōnstro- ] -- with connecting vowel
• -- > [ sini- ] + [ mōnstro- ] -- connecting vowel assimilates final u in [ sinu- ]
• -- > [ sinimōnstro- ] -- new stem
• = "sinimōnstrum" -- new Latin word for Pokémon (pocket monster)

In choosing scientific names for Pokémon, I have a couple of standards for myself.

• Latin is preferable to Greek. Greek is okay, but Greek-Latin hybrids are to be avoided (though not forbidden)
• Evolutionary groups of Pokémon will share a genus, and therefore a generic epithet. Specific Pokémon within each evolutionary group will be their own species, and have their own specific epithet.
• I won't use any generic epithets already used in real life, as that would imply that there is a biological relation between the Pokémon and the real animal (for example, even though Pikachu is the electric mouse, Mus is already out of the question because it is already being used for mice).

Without further ado, let's begin!

001-003: Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur

Generic Epithet: Anthosaurus ("flower-reptile")

• "άνθος" - flower + "σαῦρος" - lizard, reptile
• -- > [ άνθο- ] + [ σαῦρο- ] -- stems
• -- > [ άνθοσαῦρο- ] -- new stem
• -- > "άνθοσαῦρος" -- new Greek word meaning flower-reptile
• = "anthosaurus" -- Latinization

Specific Epithets:

• Bulbasaur: Anthosaurus bulbosus ("bulbous flower-reptile")
• Ivysaur: Anthosaurus hederiger ("ivy-wearing flower-reptile")
• Venusaur: Anthosaurus florescens ("blooming flower-reptile")

004-006: Charmander, Charmeleon, Charizard

Generic Epithet: Ignilacertus ("fire-lizard")

• "ignis" - fire + "lacertus" - lizard
• -- > [ igni- ] + [ lacerto- ] -- stems
• -- > [ ignilacerto- ] -- new stem
• = "ignilacertus" -- new Latin word meaning fire-lizard

Specific Epithets:

• Charmander: Ignilacertus salamandriformis ("salamander-shaped fire-lizard")
• "salamandra" - salamander + "-fōrmis" - -shaped
• -- > [ salamandrā- ] + [ fōrmi- ] -- stems
• -- > [ salamandrā- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ fōrmi- ] -- with connecting vowel
• -- > [ salamandri- ] + [ fōrmi- ] -- connecting vowel assimilates final ā in [ salamandrā- ]
• -- > [ salamandrifōrmi- ] -- new stem
• = "salamandrifōrmis" -- new Latin word meaning salamander-shaped
• Charmeleon: Ignilacertus chamaeleoniformis ("chameleon-shaped fire-lizard")
• "chamaeleon" - chameleon + "-formis" - -shaped
• -- > [ chamaeleōn- ] + [ fōrmi- ] -- stems
• -- > [ chamaeleōn- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ fōrmi- ] -- with connecting vowel
• -- > [ chamaeleōni- ] + [ fōrmi- ] -- components
• -- > [ chamaeleōnifōrmi- ] -- new stem
• = "chamaeleōnifōrmis" -- new Latin word meaning chameleon-shaped
• Charizard: Ignilacertus draconiformis ("draconiform fire-lizard")

007-009: Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise

Generic Epithet: Aspergitestudo ("spray-turtle")

• "aspergere" - to spray + "testūdō" - turtle
• -- > [ asperge- ] + [ testūdin- ] -- stems
• -- > [ asperge- ] + connecting vowel -i- + [ testūdin- ] -- with connecting vowel
• -- > [ aspergi- ] + [ testūdin- ] -- connecting vowel assimilates final e in [ asperge- ]
• -- > [ aspergitestūdin- ] -- new stem
• = "aspergitestūdō" -- new Latin word meaning spray-turtle.

Specific Epithets:

• Squirtle: Aspergitestudo rigans ("moistening spray-turtle")
• Wartortle: Aspergitestudo umectans ("wetting spray-turtle")
• Blastoise: Aspergitestudo madefaciens ("soaking spray-turtle")

Let me know what you think of these!

-Beniaminus

Image Sources:

• Pokéball
• Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur
• Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard
• Squirtle, Wartortle, and Blastoise