This is a list of common

affix In linguistics, an affix is a morpheme that is attached to a word stem to form a new word or word form. The main two categories are Morphological derivation, derivational and inflectional affixes. Derivational affixes, such as ''un-'', ''-ation' ...

es 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'': (''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 ''Anurognathus'' (from the Greek ''ανоυρα γναθος'' "frog jaw") is an extinct genus of small pterosaur from the Late Jurassic Altmühltal Formation of Germany. ''Anurognathus'' was first named and described by Ludwig Döderlein in 19 ...

'' ("tailless jaw"); ''

Apus Apus is a small constellation in the Southern Celestial Hemisphere, southern sky. It represents a bird-of-paradise, and its name means "without feet" in Greek language, Greek because the bird-of-paradise was once wrongly believed to lack feet. ...

'' ("footless"); '' Apteryx'' ("wingless"); ''

Pteranodon ''Pteranodon'' (; from and ) is a genus of pterosaur that included some of the largest known flying reptiles, with ''P. longiceps'' having a wingspan of over . They lived during the late Cretaceous geological period of North America in presen ...

'' ("wings without teeth"); Anura ("tailless"); '' Anophthalmus'' ("eyeless") *-acanth, acantho-: ''Pronunciation'': /eɪkænθ/, /eɪkænθoʊ/. ''Origin'': (''ákantha''). ''Meaning'': spine. *:Examples: ''

Acanthodes ''Acanthodes'' (from , 'provided with spines') is an extinct genus of acanthodian fish. Species have been found in Europe, North America, and Asia, spanning the Early Carboniferous to the Early Permian, making it one of the youngest known acanth ...

'' ("spiny base"); ''

Acanthostega ''Acanthostega'', from Ancient Greek ἄκανθα (''ákantha''), meaning "spine", and στέγη (''stégē''), meaning "roof", is an extinct genus of stem tetrapoda, stem-tetrapod, among the first vertebrates, vertebrate animals to have recogn ...

'' ("spine roof");

coelacanth Coelacanths ( ) are an ancient group of lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii) in the class Actinistia. As sarcopterygians, they are more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods (the terrestrial vertebrates including living amphibians, reptiles, bi ...

("hollow spine"); ''

Acrocanthosaurus ''Acrocanthosaurus'' ( ; ) is a genus of carcharodontosaurid dinosaurs that existed in what is now North America during the Aptian and early Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous, from 113 to 110 million years ago. Like most dinosaur genera, ...

'' ("high-spined lizard"); ''

Acanthoderes ''Acanthoderes'' is a genus of beetles in the family Cerambycidae, containing the following species:Bezark, Larry GA Photographic Catalog of the Cerambycidae of the World. Retrieved on 22 May 2012. * '' Acanthoderes albifrons'' Chemsak & Hovore, ...

'' ("spiny neck"); ''

Acanthamoeba ''Acanthamoeba'' is a genus of amoeboid, amoebae that are commonly recovered from soil, fresh water, and other habitat (ecology), habitats. The genus ''Acanthamoeba'' has two stages in its life cycle, the metabolically active trophozoite stage a ...

'' ("spiny amoeba"); '' Metriacanthosaurus'' ("moderately-spined lizard"); '' Holacanthus'' ("full spine") * aeto-: ''Pronunciation'': /aɛto/. Origin: (''aetós''). ''Meaning'': eagle. *:Examples: '' Aetonyx'' ("eagle claw"); ''

Aetobatus ''Aetobatus'' is a genus of eagle rays native to the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. It was formerly placed in Myliobatidae, but is now placed in its own family Aetobatidae based on salient differences from myliobatids, especially the pecto ...

'' ("eagle ray"); ''

Aetosaur Aetosaurs () are heavily armored reptiles belonging to the extinct order (biology), order Aetosauria (; from Ancient Greek, Greek, (aetos, "eagle") and (, "lizard")). They were medium- to large-sized Omnivore, omnivorous or Herbivore, herbivor ...

ia'' ("eagle lizard") * afro-: ''Pronunciation'': /ˈafro/. ''Origin'': . ''Meaning'': African. :Examples: ''

Afrovenator ''Afrovenator'' (; "African hunter") is a genus of megalosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Middle or Late Jurassic Period on the Tiourarén Formation and maybe the Irhazer II Formation of the Niger Sahara region in Western Africa. ''Afrove ...

'' (African hunter); ''

Afropithecus ''Afropithecus'' is a genus of Miocene hominoid with the sole species ''Afropithecus turkanensis'', it was excavated from a small site near Lake Turkana called Kalodirr in northern Kenya in 1986 and named by Richard Leakey and Meave Leakey. ...

'' (African ape);

Afrotheria Afrotheria ( from Latin ''Afro-'' "of Africa" + ''theria'' "wild beast") is a superorder of placental mammals, the living members of which belong to groups that are either currently living in Africa or of African origin: golden moles, elephan ...

(African beasts) * -ales: ''Pronunciation'': /ˈa.lis/. ''Origin'': . ''Meaning'': Used to form taxonomic names of orders. :Examples:

Enterobacterales Enterobacterales is an order of Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-negative, non-spore forming, Facultative anaerobic organism, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria with the class Gammaproteobacteria. The type genus of this order is ''Enterob ...

("Order of Intestinal Bacteria"); Nitrosomonadiales ("Nitrogen fixing bacteria order"); Chromatiales ("Purple Sulfur Fixing Bacteria Order") *amphi-: ''Pronunciation'': /amfiː/, /amfɪ/. ''Origin'': (''amphí''). ''Meaning'': both. *:Examples:

Amphibia Amphibians are ectothermic, anamniotic, four-limbed vertebrate animals that constitute the class Amphibia. In its broadest sense, it is a paraphyletic group encompassing all tetrapods, but excluding the amniotes (tetrapods with an amniotic ...

("two types of life"); ''

Amphicoelias ''Amphicoelias'' (, meaning "biconcave", from the Greek ἀμφί, ''amphi'': "on both sides", and κοῖλος, ''koilos'': "hollow, concave") is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur that lived approximately 150 million years ago during t ...

'' ("hollow at both ends"); ''

Amphicyon ''Amphicyon'' is an extinct genus of large carnivorans belonging to the family Amphicyonidae (known colloquially as "bear-dogs"), subfamily Amphicyoninae, from the Miocene epoch. Members of this family received their vernacular name for possessin ...

'' ("ambiguous dog") *-anthus, antho-: ''Pronunciation'': /anθəs/, /anθoʊ/. ''Origin'': (''ánthos''). ''Meaning'': flower. *:Examples: ''

Helianthus ''Helianthus'' () is a genus comprising around 70 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae commonly known as sunflowers. Except for three South American species, the species of ''Helianthus'' are native to ...

'' ("sunflower");

Anthophila ''Anthophila'', from Ancient Greek ἄνθος (''ánthos''), meaning "flower", and φίλος (''phílos''), meaning "loving", is a genus of moths in the family Choreutidae. Species *''Anthophila abhasica'' Danilevsky, 1969 *''Anthophila alp ...

("flower-loving"); ''

Dianthus ''Dianthus'' ( ) is a genus of about 340 species of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native mainly to Europe and Asia, with a few species in north Africa and in southern Africa, and one species (''D. repens'') in arctic North Am ...

'' ("Zeus flower"/"godly flower") *arch-, archi-, archo-, -archon, -archus: ''Pronunciation'': /ark/, /arkoʊ/, /arkɪ/, /arkɒn/, /arkəs/. ''Origin'': (''arkhós''), ''meaning'': ruler; ἀρχικός (''arkhikós''), ''meaning'': ruling. Used for exceptionally large or widespread animals. *:Examples: ''

Archelon ''Archelon'' is an extinct marine turtle from the Late Cretaceous, and is the largest turtle ever to have been documented, with the biggest specimen measuring from head to tail and in body mass. It is known only from the Pierre Shale and ...

'' ("ruling turtle"); '' Architeuthis'' ("ruling squid"); ''

Thalattoarchon ''Thalattoarchon'' is a genus of large, Middle Triassic predatory ichthyosaur from North America, containing the single species ''T. saurophagis''. The taxon was described in 2013 from a single specimen discovered in the Favret Formation in Nev ...

'' ("sea ruler"); ''

Archosaur Archosauria () or archosaurs () is a clade of diapsid sauropsid tetrapods, with birds and crocodilians being the only extant taxon, extant representatives. Although broadly classified as reptiles, which traditionally exclude birds, the cladistics ...

'' ("ruling lizard"); ''

Andrewsarchus ''Andrewsarchus'' (), meaning "Roy Chapman Andrews, Andrews' ruler", is an extinct genus of artiodactyl that lived during the Eocene, Middle Eocene in what is now China. The genus was species description, first described by Henry Fairfield Osb ...

'' ("ruler of

Andrews Andrews may refer to: Places Australia *Andrews, Queensland *Andrews, South Australia United States *Andrews, Florida (disambiguation), various places *Andrews, Indiana *Andrews, Nebraska *Andrews, North Carolina *Andrews, Oregon *Andrews, South ...

") *archaeo-: ''Pronunciation'': /arkiːɒ/, /arkiːoʊ/ . ''Origin'': (''arkhaîos''). ''Meaning'': ancient. Used for early versions of animals and plants. *:Examples: ''

Archaeopteryx ''Archaeopteryx'' (; ), sometimes referred to by its German name, "" ( ''Primeval Bird'') is a genus of bird-like dinosaurs. The name derives from the ancient Greek (''archaîos''), meaning "ancient", and (''ptéryx''), meaning "feather" ...

'' ("ancient wing"); ''

Archaeoindris ''Archaeoindris fontoynontii'' is an Subfossil lemur, extinct giant lemur and the largest primate known to have evolved on Madagascar, comparable in size to a male gorilla. It belonged to a Family (biology), family of extinct lemurs known as "sl ...

'' ("ancient

Indri The indri (; ''Indri indri''), also called the babakoto, is one of the largest living lemurs, with a head-body length of about and a weight of between . It has a black and white coat and maintains an upright posture when climbing or clinging. ...

"); ''

Archaeopteris ''Archaeopteris'' is an extinct genus of progymnosperm tree with fern-like leaves. A useful List of index fossils, index fossil, this tree is found in Stratum, strata dating from the Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous (), the oldest fossils b ...

'' ("ancient fern"); '' Archaeanthus'' ("ancient flower") *-arctos, arcto-: ''Pronunciation'': /arktoʊz/, /arktoʊ/. ''Origin'': (''árktos''). ''Meaning'': bear. *:Examples: ''

Phascolarctos ''Phascolarctos'' is a genus of marsupials with one extant species, the koala '' Phascolarctos cinereus'', an iconic animal of Australia. Several extinct species of the genus are known from fossil material, these were also large tree dwellers tha ...

'' ("pouch bear"); ''

Arctodus ''Arctodus'' is an extinct genus of short-faced bear that inhabited North America during the Pleistocene (~2.6 Year#mya, Mya until 12,800 years ago). There are two recognized species: the lesser short-faced bear (''Arctodus pristinus'') and the gia ...

'' ("bear tooth"); '' Arctocyon'' ("bear dog") *arthro-: /arθroʊ/. ''Origin'': (''árthron''). ''Meaning'': joint. Often used for animals with exoskeletons. *:Examples: ''

Arthrospira ''Arthrospira'' and ''Limnospira'' are two genera of free-floating filamentous cyanobacteria characterized by cylindrical, multicellular trichomes in an open left-hand helix. A dietary supplement is made from ''L. platensis'' and ''L. maxima' ...

'' ("jointed coil"); ''

Arthropleura ''Arthropleura'', from Ancient Greek ἄρθρον (''árthron''), meaning "joint", and πλευρά (''pleurá''), meaning "rib", is an extinct genus of massive myriapoda, myriapod that lived in what is now Europe and North America around 344 t ...

'' ("jointed rib");

arthropod Arthropods ( ) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an arthropod exoskeleton, exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often Mineralization (biology), mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (Metam ...

("jointed foot") *aspido-, -aspis: ''Pronunciation'': /aspɪdoʊ/, /aspɪs/. ''Origin'': (''aspís''). ''Meaning'': shield. The suffix "-aspis" is used to describe armored fish. *:Examples: ''

Aspidochelone According to the tradition of the ''Physiologus'' and medieval bestiary, bestiaries, the aspidochelone is a fabled sea creature, variously described as a large whale or vast sea turtle, and a giant sea monster with huge spines on the ridge of its ...

'' ("shield turtle"); ''

Cephalaspis ''Cephalaspis'' (from , 'head' and , 'shield') is a possibly monotypic genus of extinct osteostracan agnathan vertebrate. It was a trout-sized detritivorous fish that lived in the early Devonian. Description Like its relatives, ''Cephalaspi ...

'' ("head shield"); '' Sacabambaspis'' ("shield from Sacabamba"); ''

Brindabellaspis ''Brindabellaspis stensioi'' ("Erik Stensiö's Brindabella Ranges Shield") is a placoderm with a flat, platypus-like snout from the Early Devonian of the Taemas-Wee Jasper reef in Australia. When it was first discovered in 1980, it was originall ...

'' ("shield from the

Brindabella Ranges The Brindabella Range, commonly called The Brindabellas or The Brindies, is a mountain range located in Australia, on a state and territory border of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The range rises to the west of C ...

") *-avus: ''Pronunciation'': /avus/. ''Origin'': . ''Meaning'': grandfather. *:Examples: ''

Coelurosauravus ''Coelurosauravus'' (meaning "hollow-tailed lizard grandfather") is an extinct genus of gliding reptile, known from the Late Permian of Madagascar. Like other members of the family Weigeltisauridae, members of this genus possessed long, rod-like ...

'' (" hollow lizard grandfather"); '' Plateosauravus'' ("grandfather of

Plateosaurus ''Plateosaurus'' (probably meaning "broad lizard", often mistranslated as "flat lizard") is a genus of plateosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, around 214 to 204 million years ago, in what is now Central and Northern Eu ...

") *-avis: ''Pronunciation'': /əvɪs/. ''Origin'': . ''Meaning'': bird. *:Examples: ''

Protoavis ''Protoavis'' (meaning "first bird") is a problematic taxon known from fragmentary remains from Late Triassic Norian stage deposits near Post, Texas. The animal's true classification has been the subject of much controversy, and there are many ...

'' ("first bird"); ''

Argentavis ''Argentavis'' is an extinct genus of teratornithid known from three sites in the Epecuén and Andalhualá Formations in central and northwestern Argentina dating to the Late Miocene (Huayquerian). The type species, ''A. magnificens'', is some ...

'' ("bird from

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

"); '' Eoalulavis'' ("little-winged dawn bird") *-bates: ''Pronunciation'': /bætiz/. ''Origin'': . ''Meaning'': wanderer, one that treads. *:Examples: ''

Hylobates The genus ''Hylobates'' is one of the four genera of gibbons. Its name means "forest walker", from the Greek (, "forest") and (, "one who treads"). It was once considered the only genus, but recently its subgenera (''Hoolock'' ormerly ''Bun ...

'' ("forest wanderer"); ''

Dendrobates ''Dendrobates'' is a genus of poison dart frogs native to Central and South America. It once contained numerous species, but most originally placed in this genus have been split off into other genera such as '' Adelphobates'', '' Ameerega'', '' ...

'' ("tree wanderer") *brachi-, brachy-: ''pronunciation'': /brækɪ/. ''Origin'': (''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 ''Brachylophosaurus'' ( or ) is a genus of hadrosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period of western North America. It was first named in 1953 by Charles Mortram Sternberg for a skull and skeleton he discovered in 1936 in th ...

'' ("short-crested lizard"); ''

Brachiosaurus ''Brachiosaurus'' () is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic, about . It was first Species description, described by American paleontologist Elmer S. Riggs in 1903 in paleontology, 1903 from fossi ...

'' ("arm lizard"); '' Brachyceratops'' ("short-horned face") *bronto-: ''Pronunciation'': /brɒntoʊ/. ''Origin'': (''brontḗ''). ''Meaning'': thunder. Used for large animals. *:Examples: ''

Brontosaurus ''Brontosaurus'' (; meaning "thunder lizard" from the Ancient Greek, Greek words , "thunder" and , "lizard") is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur that lived in present-day United States during the Late Jurassic period. It was describe ...

'' ("thunder lizard"), '' Brontotherium'' ("thunder beast"), '' Brontoscorpio'' ("thunder scorpion"); '' Brontochelys'' ("thunder turtle") *-canth, cantho-: see -acanth, acantho-. *carcharo-: ''Pronunciation'': /kərkæro/. ''Origin'': (''kárkharos''). ''Meaning'': sharp, jagged; extended via (''karkharías'') to mean "shark". *:Examples: '' Carcharodon'' ("jagged tooth"), ''

Carcharocles ''Otodus'' is an extinct, cosmopolitan genus of mackerel shark which lived from the Paleocene to the Pliocene epoch. The name ''Otodus'' comes from Ancient Greek (, meaning "ear") and (, meaning "tooth") – thus, "ear-shaped tooth". Descript ...

'' ("glorious shark"), ''

Carcharodontosaurus ''Carcharodontosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of large carnivorous theropod dinosaur that lived in Northwest Africa from about 100 to 94 million years ago during the Cenomanian age of the Cretaceous. Two teeth of the genus, now lost, were first des ...

'' ("shark toothed lizard") *-cephalus, cephalo-, -cephale, -cephalian: ''Pronunciation'': /sɛfələs/, /sɛfəloʊ̯/, /sɛfəli:/ /sɛfeɪliːən/. ''Origin'': (''kephalḗ''). ''Meaning'': head. *:Examples: '' Sclerocephalus'' ("hard head"); ''

Euoplocephalus ''Euoplocephalus'' ( ) is a genus of large herbivorous ankylosaurid dinosaurs, living during the Late Cretaceous of Canada. It has only one named species, ''Euoplocephalus tutus''. The first fossil of ''Euoplocephalus'' was found in 1897 in Albe ...

'' ("well-armored head"), ''

Pachycephalosaurus ''Pachycephalosaurus'' (; meaning "thick-headed lizard", from Greek ''pachys-/'' "thickness", ''kephalon/'' "head" and ''sauros/'' "lizard") is a genus of pachycephalosaurid ornithischian dinosaur. The type species, ''P. wyomingensis'', ...

'' ("thick headed lizard"), '' Amtocephale'' ("head from Amtgai"); ''

Therocephalian Therocephalia is an extinct clade of therapsids (mammals and their close extinct relatives) from the Permian and Triassic periods. The therocephalians ("beast-heads") are named after their large skulls, which, along with the structure of their te ...

'' ("beast-headed"); ''

Cephalocarida The Cephalocarida, from Ancient Greek κεφαλή (''kephalḗ''), meaning "head", and καρίς (''karís''), meaning "shrimp", are a class in the subphylum Crustacea comprising only 12 species. Both the nauplii and the adults are benthic. ...

'' ("head shrimp") *-ceras, cerat-, -ceratus: ''Pronunciation'': /sɛrəs/, /sɛrət/, /sɛrətəs/. ''Origin'': (''kéras''). ''Meaning'': horn. Used for many horned animals, but most notably

ceratopsians Ceratopsia or Ceratopia ( or ; Greek: "horned faces") is a group of herbivorous, beaked dinosaurs that thrived in what are now North America, Asia and Europe, during the Cretaceous Period, although ancestral forms lived earlier, in the Late Jura ...

. *:Examples: ''

Stegoceras ''Stegoceras'' is a genus of Pachycephalosauria, pachycephalosaurid (dome-headed) dinosaur that lived in what is now North America during the Late Cretaceous Period (geology), period, about 77.5 to 74 million years ago (mya). The first specim ...

'' ("roof horn"); ''

Triceratops ''Triceratops'' ( ; ) is a genus of Chasmosaurinae, chasmosaurine Ceratopsia, ceratopsian dinosaur that lived during the late Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous Period (geology), period, about 68 to 66 million years ago on the island ...

'' ("three-horned face"), ''

Orthoceras ''Orthoceras'', from Ancient Greek ὀρθός (''orthós''), meaning "straight", and κέρας (''kéras''), meaning "horn", is a genus of extinct nautiloid cephalopod restricted to Middle Ordovician-aged marine limestones of the Baltic Sta ...

'' ("straight horn"); '' Megaloceras'' ("big horn"); ''

Ceratosaurus ''Ceratosaurus'' (from Greek 'horn' and 'lizard') is a genus of carnivorous theropod dinosaur that lived in the Late Jurassic period (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian ages). The genus was first described in 1884 by American paleontologist Othni ...

'' ("horned lizard"); '' Microceratops'' ("small horned face");

rhinoceros A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...

("nose horn"); ''

Albertoceras ''Albertoceras'' is a genus of Early Ordovician ellesmeroceratids with a small, slender, orthoconic to slightly endogastric shell; some even tiny. The cross section is strongly compressed so as to make the height proportionally notably greater ...

'' ("horn from

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

"); '' Aepyceros'' ("high horn"); '' Lophoceros'' ("crest horn"); '' Buceros'' ("ox horn");

Dinocerata Dinocerata, from Ancient Greek (), "terrible", and (), "horn", or Uintatheria, is an extinct order of large herbivorous hoofed mammals with horns and protuberant canine teeth, known from the Paleocene and Eocene of Asia and North America. With ...

("terrible horn") *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 ''Cetiosaurus'' ( meaning 'whale lizard', from the Greek '/ meaning 'sea monster' (later, 'whale') and '/ meaning 'lizard'), is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic Period, living about 171 to 165 million years ago ...

'' ("whale lizard"); ''

Ambulocetus ''Ambulocetus'' (Latin ''ambulare'' "to walk" + ''cetus'' "whale") is a genus of early Semiaquatic, amphibious cetacean from the Kuldana Formation in Pakistan, roughly 48 or 47 million years ago during the Early Eocene (Lutetian). It contains o ...

'' ("walking whale"); ''

Pakicetus ''Pakicetus'' (meaning 'whale from Pakistan') is an extinct genus of amphibious cetacean of the family Pakicetidae, which was endemic to the Indian Subcontinent during the Ypresian (early Eocene) period, about 50 million years ago. It was a w ...

'' ("whale from

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

"), "Perucetus" ("whale from Peru") *-cheirus: ''Pronunciation'': /kaɪrəs/. ''Origin'': (''kheír''). ''Meaning'': hand. *:Examples: ''Deinocheirus'' ("terrible hand"); ''Ornithocheirus'' ("bird hand"); ''Austrocheirus'' ("southern hand"); ''Haplocheirus'' ("simple hand"); Chiroptera ("hand wing") *chloro-: ''Pronunciation'': /kloroʊ/. ''Origin'': (''khlōrós''). ''Meaning'': green. *:Examples: Chlorophyta ("green plant"); Chlorophyll ("green leaf") *choer-, choero-: ''Pronunciation'': /koɪr/, /koɪroʊ/. ''Origin'': (''koíros''). ''Meaning'': pig. *:Examples: ''Choeroichthys'' ("pig-fish"); ''Choerophryne'' ("frog pig"); ''Choerodon'' ("pig tooth"); ''Hydrochoerus'' ("water pig") *coel-: ''Pronunciation'': /siːl/ or /sɛl/ . ''Origin'': (''koîlos''). ''Meaning'': hollow. *:Examples:

("hollow spine"); ''Coelodonta'' ("hollow tooth"); ''Coelophysis'' ("hollow form"); ''

'' ("hollow at both ends") *cyan-, cyano-: ''Pronunciation'': /saɪæno/. ''Origin'': (''kuáneos''). ''Meaning'': dark blue, blue, dark blue-green. *:Examples: ''Cyanocitta'' ("blue jay"); Cyanobacteria ("blue bacteria"); ''Cyanocorax'' ("blue raven") *cyclo-: ''Pronunciation'': /saɪkloʊ/ (or /saɪklɒ/). ''Origin'': (''kúklos''). ''Meaning'': circle. *:Examples: ''Cyclomedusa'' ("circle Medusa"); Cyclostomata ("circle mouth") *cyn-, -cyon: ''Pronunciation'': /saɪn/, /saɪɒn/. ''Origin'': (''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"); ''Cynocephalus'' ("dog head") *-dactyl, -dactylus: ''Pronunciation'': /dæktəl/, /dæktələs/. ''Origin'': (''dáktulos''). ''Meaning'': finger, toe. *:Examples: artiodactyl ("even toe"); ''Pterodactylus'' ("wing finger"); perissodactyl ("uneven toe"); ''Ctenodactylus'' ("comb finger") * -deres: ''Origin'': (''dére''). ''Meaning'': neck, collar. *:Examples: ''

'' ("spiny neck") *-derm: ''Pronunciation'': /dɜrm/. ''Origin'': (''dérma''). ''Meaning'': animal hide. Used for skin. *:Examples: placoderm ("plated skin"); echinoderm ("hedgehog skin"); ostracoderm ("shell skin") *-delphys, -delphis, delpho-: ''Pronunciation'': /dɜlfɪs/, /dɜlfʊ/. ''Origin'': ('' delphis''). ''Meaning'': womb. Used for therian mammals. *:Examples: ''Sinodelphys'' ("Chinese womb"); ''Didelphis'' ("two wombs"); ''Didelphodon'' ("two-womb [ie opossum] tooth"); ''Delphinus (genus), Delphinius'' ("with a womb") *dendro-, -dendron, -dendrum: ''Pronunciation'': /dɛn.dɹoʊ/, /ˈdɛndɹən/, /dɛndɹəm/. ''Origin'': (''déndron''). ''Meaning'': tree. *:Examples: ''Rhododendron'' ("rose tree"); ''Liriodendron'' ("lily tree"); ''Dendrocnide'' ("tree nettle"); ''Epidendrum'' ("above tree"); ''Lepidodendron'' ("scaled tree") *di-: ''Pronunciation'': /daɪ/. ''Origin'': (''dís''). ''Meaning'': twice. Used to indicate two of something. *:Examples: ''Dilophosaurus'' ("two crested lizard"); ''Nedoceratops, Diceratops'' ("two-horned face"); diapsid ("two arches") *dino-, deino-: Pronunciation: /daɪnoʊ/. ''Origin'': (''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");

("terrible horn") * diplo-: ''Pronunciation'': /dɪploʊ/, /dɪplo/. ''Origin'': (''diplóos'', ''diploûs''). ''Meaning'': double. *:Examples: ''Diplodocus'' ("double beam"); Diplopoda ("double feet"); Diplomonad ("double unit"); ''Diplovertebron'' ("double vertebra") *-don, -'', -''donto-: see #odon, -odon, -odont, -odonto-. *draco-, -draco: ''Pronunciation'': /dreɪkoʊ/ Origin: Latin ''draco''. Meaning: dragon. *:Examples: ''Dracophyllum'' ("dragon race"); ''Dracocephalum'' ("dragon head"); ''Dracaena (plant), Dracaena'' ("female dragon"), ''Tethydraco'' ("Tethys Sea, Tethys dragon"), ''Phosphatodraco'' ("phosphates dragon"). *dromaeo-, dromeo-, -dromeus: ''Pronunciation'': /droʊmɪoʊ/, /droʊmɪəs/ ''Origin'': (''dromaîos''). Meaning: runner. *:Examples: ''Dromaeosaurus'' ("running lizard"); ''Kulindadromeus'' ("runner from Ukureyskaya Formation, Kulinda"); ''Thalassodromeus'' ("sea runner"); ''Eodromaeus'' ("dawn runner") *elasmo-: ''Pronunciation'': /əl:æzːmoʊ/. ''Origin'': (''elasmos''). ''Meaning'': plate. *:Examples: ''elasmobranch'' ("plated gill"); ''Elasmosaurus'' ("plated lizard"); ''Elasmotherium'' ("plated beast") *eo-: ''Pronunciation'': /iːoʊ̯/. ''Origin'': (''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'': (''herpetón''). ''Meaning'': reptile (literally, "creeping thing"); used for amphibians. *:Examples: ''Hynerpeton'' ("creeper from Hyner, Pennsylvania, Hyner"); ''Greererpeton'' ("creeper from Greer"); ''Arizonerpeton'' ("creeper from Arizona"); ''Albanerpeton'' ("creeper of La Grive Saint Alban") *eu-: ''Pronunciation'': /iːu̟/. ''Origin'': (''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 W.K. Parker, Parker's"); ''Euhelopus'' ("good marsh foot"); ''Eustreptospondylus'' ("well-curved vertebrae"); ''Eucoelophysis'' ("truly hollow form") *-felis: ''Pronunciation'': /fiːlɪs/. ''Origin'': . ''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'': . ''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'': /gi:gə/, /d͡ʒaɪgænt/, /d͡ʒaɪgæntoʊ/. ''Origin'': (''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'': (''gnáthos''). ''Meaning'': jaw. *:Examples: ''Caenagnathasia'' ("recent jaw from Asia"); ''Gnathostoma'' ("jaw mouth"); ''Cynognathus'' ("dog jaw"); ''Compsognathus'' ("elegant jaw"); ''Gnathosaurus'' ("jaw lizard"); Gnathostomata ("jaw mouth"); Entognatha ("inner jaw") *haplo-: ''Pronunciation'': /hæplə/. ''Origin'': (''haplós''). ''Meaning:'' simple. *:Examples: ''Haplorhini'' ("simple-nosed"); ''Haplocheirus'' ("simple hand") *hemi-: ''Pronunciation'': /hɛmi/. ''Origin'': (''hēmi-''). ''Meaning:'' half. *:Examples: ''Hemicyon'' ("half-dog"); hemichordate ("half-chordate"); Hemiptera ("half-wing") *hespero-: ''Pronunciation'': /hɛspəroʊ/. ''Origin'': (''hésperos''). ''Meaning'': western (originally, "evening"). *:Examples: ''Hesperornis'' ("western bird"); ''Hesperocyon'' ("western dog"); ''Hesperosaurus'' ("western lizard") * hippus, hippo-: Pronunciation: /hɪpəs/, /hɪpoʊ/. ''Origin'': (''híppos''). ''Meaning'': horse. *:Examples: ''Eohippus'' ("dawn horse"); ''Hippodraco'' ("horse dragon"); ''Hippopotamus'' ("river horse"); ''Seahorse, Hippocampus'' ("sea-monster horse"); ''Hippophae'' ("horse light") *hyl-, hylo-: ''Pronunciation'': /haɪl/, /haɪloʊ/ (or /haɪlɒ/). ''Origin'': ("húlē"). ''Meaning:'' wood, forest. *:Examples: ''Hylonomus'' ("forest dweller"); ''

'' ("forest walker"); ''Hylarana'' ("forest frog") *-ia: ''Pronunciation'': /iːə/. ''Origin'': (''-ia, -eia''). ''Meaning:'' an abstraction usually used as an honorific for a person or place. *:Examples: ''Dickinsonia'' ("for Dickinson"); ''Cooksonia'' ("for Isabel Clifton Cookson, Cookson"); ''Coloradia'' ("for Colorado"); ''Edmontonia'' ("for Edmonton"); ''Thomashuxleya'' ("for Thomas Huxley") *ichthyo-, -ichthys: ''Pronunciation'': /ɪkθioʊs/, /ɪkθis/. ''Origin'': (''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"); Osteichthyes ("bony fish"); Chondrichthyes ("cartilaginous fish") *-lania, ''Pronunciation'': /læniːə/, ''Origin'': (''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'': (''léon''): Meaning: lion. *:Examples: ''Leopardus'' ("spotted lion"); ''Leontopodium'' ("lion foot"); ''Leontopithecus'' ("lion ape") *lio-: Pronunciation: /liː.oː/. ''Origin'': (''leióō''): Meaning: Make smooth *:Examples: ''Liogramma'' ("smooth writing"); ''Liopleurodon'' ("smooth-sided teeth") *-lepis, lepido-: ''Pronunciation'': /lɛpɪs/ /lɛpɪdoʊ/ (or /lɛpɪdɒ/). ''Origin'': ('). ''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'': ('')''. ''Meaning'': robber. *:Examples: ''Carpolestes'' ("fruit robber"); ''Ornitholestes'' ("bird robber"); ''Sarcolestes'' ("flesh robber"); ''Necrolestes'' ("grave robber") *long: ''Pronunciation'': /lʊng/. ''Origin'': zh, s=龙, t=龍. ''Meaning'': dragon. Used for dinosaur finds in China. *:Examples: ''Mei long'' ("sleeping dragon"); ''Bolong'' ("small dragon"); ''Zuolong'' ("dragon of Zuo Zongtang, Zuo"); ''Shaochilong'' ("shark toothed dragon") *-lopho-, -lophus: ''Pronunciation'': /lɒfoʊ/, /ləfəs/. ''Origin'': ('). ''Meaning'': A bird's crest. Used for animals with crests on their heads. *:Examples: ''Dilophosaurus'' ("two-crested lizard"); ''

'' ("short-crested lizard"); ''Saurolophus'' ("lizard crest"); ''Teinolophos'' ("extended crest") * lyco-: ''Pronunciation'': /lɪkoʊ/. ''Origin'': ('). ''Meaning'': wolf. *:Examples: ''Lycopodium'' ("wolf foot"); ''Lycodon'' ("wolf tooth"); ''Lycoperdon'' ("wolf fart") *macro-: ''Pronunciation'': /mækroʊ/. ''Origin'': (''makrós''). ''Meaning'': (correctly) long; (usually) large. *:Examples: Macropodidae, macropod ("big foot"); ''Macrodontophion'' ("big tooth snake"); ''Macrogryphosaurus'' ("big enigmatic lizard") *-maia, maia-: ''Pronunciation'': /meiə/ ''Origin'': (''Maîa''). ''Meaning'': Originally the Maia (mythology), 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 period, Jurassic Maia"); ''Maiacetus'' ("mother whale") *mega-, megalo-: ''Pronunciation'': /mɛga/, /mɛgaloʊ̯/. ''Origin'': (''mégas, megálē''). ''Meaning'': big/great. *:Examples: ''Megarachne'' ("great spider"); ''Megalosaurus'' ("great lizard"); ''megalodon'' ("great tooth") *micro-: ''Pronunciation'': /maɪkroʊ̯/. ''Origin'': (''mikrós''). ''Meaning'': "small". *:Examples: ''Microraptor'' ("small thief"); ''Microvenator'' ("small hunter"); '' Microceratops'' ("small horned face") *mimo-, -mimus: /maɪmoʊ̯/, /maɪməs/. ''Origin'': . ''Meaning'': actor. Used for creatures that resemble others. *:Examples: ''Struthiomimus''; ("ostrich mimic"); ''Ornithomimus'' ("bird mimic"); ''Gallimimus'' ("chicken mimic"); Ornithomimosauria ("bird mimic lizard") * -monas, -monad: ''Pronunciation'': /moʊnas/, /monas/, /moʊnad/, /monad/. ''Origin'': (''monás''). ''Meaning'': unit. Used for single-celled organisms. *:Examples: ''Chlamydomonas'' ("cloak unit"); ''Pseudomonas'' ("false unit"); Metamonad ("encompassing unit") *-morph: ''Pronunciation'': /moʊrf/. ''Origin'': (''morphḗ''). ''Meaning'': form, shape. Used for large groups of animals which share a common genetic lineage *:Examples: Crocodylomorpha ("crocodile form"); Sauropodomorpha ("sauropod form"); Muscomorpha ("fly (insect), fly form"); ''Dimorphodon'' ("two shaped teeth") *-nax, -anax-: ''Pronunciation'': /nax/, /ænax/. ''Origin:'' (''ánax''). ''Meaning'': king. *:Examples: ''Lythronax'' ("gore lord"); ''Saurophaganax'' ("lizard eating lord") *-noto-: ''Pronunciation'': /notoʊ/. ''Origin'': . ''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, -onych, onycho-, -onyx. *-odon, -odont, -odonto-, -odus: ''Pronunciation'': /oʊdɒn/, /oʊdɒnt/, /oʊdɒntoʊ/, /oʊdəs/. ''Origin'': (''odoús'', ''odontos''). ''Meaning'': tooth, of a tooth, respectively. *:Examples: ''Dimetrodon'' ("two-measures of teeth"), cynodont ("dog tooth"); ''

'' ("shark tooth lizard"), ''Otodus'' ("ear tooth"), ''

'' ("bear tooth"); ''Tetraodon'' ("four tooth") *-oides, -odes: ''Pronunciation'': /oiːdiːz/, /oʊːdiːz/. ''Origin'': (''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'': (''ónux''). ''Meaning'': claw. *:Examples: ''Deinonychus'' ("terrible claw"); ''Euronychodon'' ("European claw tooth"); ''Nothronychus'' ("sloth claw"), ''Baryonyx'' ("heavy claw") *ophi-: ''Pronunciation'': /ɒfɪs/. ''Origin'': (''óphis''). ''Meaning'': snake. Used for Ophidia or snake-like animals. *:Examples: ''Ophiacodon'' ("snake tooth"); ''Ophisaurus'' ("snake lizard"); ''Ophiopogon'' ("snake beard") *-ops: ''Pronunciation'': /ɒps/. ''Origin'': (''óps''). ''Meaning'': face, eye. *:Examples: ''

'' ("three-horned face"); ''Lycaenops'' ("wolf face"); ''Moschops'' ("calf face"); ''Spinops'' ("spine face"); ''Triops'' ("three eyes"); *-ornis, ornith-, ornitho-: ''Pronunciation'': /oʊ̯rnɪs/, /oʊ̯rnɪθ/, /oʊ̯rnɪθoʊ̯/. ''Origin'': (''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") *orth-, ortho-: ''Pronunciation'': /oʊ̯rθ/, /oʊ̯rθoʊ̯/. ''Origin'': (''órthos''). ''Meaning'': straight. *:Examples: Orthocone ("straight cone"); ''

'' ("straight horn"); ''Orthacanthus'' ("straight spine") *pachy-: ''Pronunciation'': /pæki/ ''Origin'': (''pakhús''). ''Meaning'': thick. *:Examples: ''

'' ("thick-headed lizard"); ''Pachylemur'' ("thick lemur"); ''Pachyuromys'' ("thick tailed mouse"); Pachydermata ("thick skin") *para-: ''Pronunciation'': /pærɑː/ ''Origin'': (''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'': /Help:IPA/English, pɛltə:/ ''Origin'': (''péltē''). ''Meaning'': shield. Frequently used for ankylosaurs. *:Examples: ''Sauropelta'' ("lizard shield"); ''Dracopelta'' ("dragon shield"); ''Cedarpelta'' ("shield from the Cedar Mountain Formation, Cedar Mountains") *-phagus, -phagan-: ''Pronunciation'': /feɪgəs/, /feɪgən/. ''Origin'': (''phágos''). ''Meaning'': eater, eating, glutton. Used for organisms perceived as eating a particular type of thing. *:Examples: ''Saurophaganax'' ("lord of the lizard-eaters"); ''King cobra, Ophiophagus'' ("snake-eating"); ''Myrmecophaga'' ("ant-eater") *-philus, -phila, philo-: ''Pronunciation'': /fiːləs/, /fiːlə/, /fiːloʊ/. ''Origin'': (''phílos''). ''Meaning'': dear, beloved, loving. Used for organisms perceived as having a fondness for a particular thing. *:Examples: ''Sarcophilus'' ("flesh-loving"); ''Drosophila'' ("dew-loving");

("flower-loving"); ''Philodendron'' ("loving trees") *-phyton, -phyta, phyto-, -phyte: ''Pronunciation'': /faɪtən/, /faitə/, /faɪtoʊ/, /faɪt/. ''Origin'': (''phutón''). ''Meaning'': plant. *:Examples: ''Spermatophyte, Spermatophyta'' ("seed plant"); Rhyniophyte ("plant of the Rhynie chert"); ''Phytophthora'' ("plant destroyer"); ''Phytolacca'' ("plant Lac (resin), lac") *-pithecus, pitheco-: ''Pronunciation'': /piθəkəs/, /piθəkoʊ/, //piθəkə/. ''Origin'': (''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: ''Flatworm, 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"); ''Octopus'' ("eight foot"); Platypus ("flat foot"); ''Orycteropus'' ("burrowing foot"); Decapoda ("ten foot") *-prion: ''Pronunciation'': /prɪɒn/. ''Origin'': Ancient Greek πριὢν. Meaning: saw. *: Examples: ''Helicoprion'' ("spiral saw"); ''Ornithoprion'' ("bird saw"); ''Onychoprion'' ("claw saw"); ''Suchoprion'' ("crocodile saw"). Prion (bird), Prions are a subfamily of saw-beaked petrels. *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/, /pterə/, /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: ''Bolivaria brachyptera'' ("short winged mantis"); ''

'' ("toothless wing"); ''Pterodactylus'' ("winged finger"); ''Eurypterus'' ("wide wing" or fin); ''Pterygotus'' ("winged" or finned); Coleoptera ("sheathed wing"); ''

'' ("ancient wing"); ''Stenopterygius'' ("narrow finned"); Lepidoptera ("scaled wing"); Chiroptera ("hand wing"); Dermoptera ("skin wing") *-pus: see #pod, -pod, -podo-, -pus. *-raptor, raptor-: ''Pronunciation'': /ræptər/. ''Origin'': Latin raptor. ''Meaning'': "robber, thief". Frequently used for dromeosaurid, 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"); ''Red algae, Rhodophyta'' ("rose plant"); ''Rhodomonas'' ("rose unit") *rhynco-, -rhynchus: ''Pronunciation'': /rɪnkoʊ/, /rɪnkəs/. ''Origin'': Ancient Greek ῥύγχος (''rhúnkhos''). ''Meaning'': "beak", "snout". *:Examples: ''Rhamphorhynchus'' ("beak snout"); ''Aspidorhynchus'' ("shield snout"); ''Ornithorhynchus'' ("bird snout"); ''rhynchosaur'' ("beaked lizard"); ''Rhynchocephalia'' ("beaked head"); ''Oncorhynchus'' ("bent snout") *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 ('). ''Meaning'': lizard. Used for dinosaurs and other extinct reptiles. *:Examples: Dinosaur ("terrible lizard"); Mososaur, Mosasaur ("lizard from the Meuse River"), ''Tyrannosaurus'' ("tyrant lizard"), ''Allosaurus'' ("other lizard"), ''Sauroposeidon'' ("lizard of Poseidon"), ''Maiasaura'' ("Maia, caring mother lizard"), ''Bonitasaura'' ("lizard from La Bonita"), ''Pleurosaurus'' ("rib lizard") *sin-, sino-: ''Pronunciation''; /sɪn/, /saɪnoʊ̯/. ''Origin'': . ''Meaning'': from China. *: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 ('). ''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'': . ''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 ('). ''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"); ''Squalomorphi'' ("shark shape") *stego-, -stega: ''Pronunciation'': /stɛgoʊ/, /stɛgə/. ''Origin'': Ancient Greek στέγη ('). ''Meaning'': roof. Used for armoured or plated animals. *:Examples: ''Stegosaurus'' ("roofed lizard"); ''Ichthyostega'' ("roofed fish"); ''

'' ("spine roof") *strepto-: ''Pronunciation'': /streptoʊ/, /strepto/. ''Origin'': Ancient Greek στρεπτός ('). ''Meaning'': twisted, bent. *:Examples: Streptophyta ("twisted plant"); ''Streptococcus'' ("twisted granule"); ''Streptospondylus'' ("twisted vertebrae"); ''Streptomyces'' ("twisted fungus") *-stoma, -stome, -stomus: ''Pronunciation'': /stoʊma/, /stoʊm/, /stoʊməs/. ''Origin'': Ancient Greek στόμα (''stóma''). ''Meaning'': mouth. *:Examples: Deuterostomia ("second mouth"); Gnathostoma ("jaw mouth"); ''Anastomus'' ("on mouth"); Cyclostomi ("circle mouth") *sucho-, -suchus: ''Pronunciation'': /sjuːkoʊ/, /sjuːkəs/. ''Origin'': Ancient Greek σούχος (''soúkhos''). ''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"); ''Sarcosuchus'' ("flesh crocodile") *tauro-: /taərəs/. Origin: . ''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") *thalatto-. ''Pronunciation'': /θəlatoʊ/. ''Origin'': Ancient Greek θᾰ́λᾰττᾰ (''thalatta''). ''Meaning:'' sea. *:Examples: ''Thalattosaurus'' ("sea lizard"); ''

'' ("sea ruler"); ''Thalattosuchus'' ("sea crocodile"). *thero-, -therium. ''Pronunciation'': /θɛroʊ/, /θiːrɪəm/. ''Origin'': Ancient Greek θηρίον (''theríon''). ''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"); ''Anthracotherium'' ("coal beast"); ''Nototherium'' ("southern beast"); *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: ''

'' ("three-horned face"); ''Triconodon'' ("three coned teeth"); Trilobita ("three lobes"); ''Triops'' ("three eyes") *titano-, -titan: ''Pronunciation'': /taɪtænoʊ/, /taɪtən/. ''Origin'': Ancient Greek Τιτάν, Τιτᾶνος (''Titán'', ''Titânos''). ''Meaning'': Titan (mythology), 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'': (''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: ''

'' ("African hunter"); ''Juravenator'' ("hunter from the Jura Mountains"); ''Scorpiovenator'' ("scorpion hunter"); ''Neovenator'' ("new hunter"); ''Concavenator'' ("hunter of Province of Cuenca, 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"); ''Hydrozoa'' ("water animals")

See also