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SPECIES NAMES PAGE 'S' Species (second name: a group of organisms generally resembling each other and capable of reproduction).
Genus Names A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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sabaji	Named in honour of Dr. Mark Henry Sabaj, Collection Manager of Ichthyology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and webmaster of the All Catfish Species Inventory website.
sabalo	A common Spanish name for many fishes from South America, including this one (Astroblepus sabalo).
sacerdotum	Priests, being a sacred fish under royal protection, “daily fed by the priests who reside on the small rocky islet” of Thingadaw, on the Irrawaddy River of Myanmar (Rita sacerdotum).
sacramento	Refers to the plain (pampa) in central Peru between the Huallaga and Ucayali Rivers, approximately delimited by the Pisqui River in the north and Palcazu River in the south. Chaetostoma sacramento is currently known exclusively from this region, known as the Pampa de Sacramento, which occupies a valley between Huánuco and Ucayali provinces that is part of the Peruvian subandean belt and surrounds Boqueron del Padre Abad in the Cordillera Azul. The Pampa de Sacramento was first encountered by Europeans on 21 June 1726, by an expedition led by Don Juan Nunez Lobo and was christened Pampa del Sacramento to commemorate the Catholic ceremony of the Corpus Christi. Subsequent Franciscan missionaries highlighted the rich ethnic diversity of this region (IBC 2016). A noun in apposition, (Chaetostoma sacramento).
saetiger	Name from Latin 'saetiger' meaning bristle bearing, alluding to the presence of whiskerlike odontodes.
saginata	Derived from the Latin verb sagino, meaning to fatten, cram or to feast, in allusion to the relatively deep body of this species compared to all other congeners from the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent.
*salmacis*	From the Greek Salmacis, named after the character of Ovid's tale, 'The fountain of Salmacis'. In allusion to its very subtle sexual dimorphism when compared to other Scleromystax species.
salvini	In honour of O. Salvin.
sanchesi	Named after Mr. Gijsbert Harry Sanches.
sandrae	The specific name, sandrae, is in reference to Sandra J. Raredon, of the Division of Fishes, National Museum of Natural History, in thanks for all of her assistance to the authors, particularly the first author, (Vari) over the course of the years in this and many other projects.
sanga	The specific name sanga, noun in apposition, originated from the Castilian word "digging", was given in reference to the location of collection of new species. Sanga is a term used commonly in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina for stream or small stream.
sanghensis	–ensis, suffix denoting place: Sangha River, Ouésso, Republic of the Congo, where it is endemic (Trchyglanis sanghensis).
sanguinea	Latin for blood-red or bloody; a hematophagous species described as “translucent,” but Eigenmann later noted (1918) how the alimentary canal was “gorged with blood,” so perhaps it appears blood-red after having eaten (Vandellia sanguinea).
santarosensis	Named for its type locality, the Rio Santa Rosa, (Transancistrus santarosensis).
sapito	The common name of this catfish in the Maracaibo Basin, Venezuela (Dupouyichthys sapito).
sapucai	“sapucai” is in reference to Rio Sapucaí, the drainage where the species is known to occur. A noun in apposition (Neoplecostomus sapucai).
*saquarema*	The name saquarema refers to the occurrence of the new species (Trichomycterus saquarema) in the Lagoa de Saquarema system. The word saquarema is derived from the Tupi-Guarani, but its meaning is not clear.
saramaccensis	From the Saramacca River in Surinam.
sarareenis	From Sararé, a river in Brazil where this Corydoras species was found.
*saudades*	The Portuguese word saudades is used to express a deep longing or profound melancholy attached to a person, place or experience. It has a deeper tone and meaning than a direct English translation and reflects the lead author’s connection to her Brazilian heritage and her nostalgia for field work in remote wilderness areas that yielded these museum collections.
savorgnani	After Henri Émile Sauvage (1842-1917) who was a French paleontologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist.
seemanni	In honour of German botanist Berthold Carl Seemann (1825-1871), who collected type (Ariopsis seemanni).
seenghala	Marathi vernacular for this species in India, which, as Sykes explained in 1841, he adopted “so that naturalists who travel the country can always obtain” the species (Sperata seenghala).
seducta	From the Latin for remote or apart, is in reference to the disjunct distribution of this species relative to the other members of Denticetopsis.
senegali	From Senegal, Africa.
*serratus/um*	The dorsal or pectoral fin spine is finely serrated anteriorly hence the specific name of serratus.
*sertanejo*	The specifc epithet, sertanejo, is derived from the Portuguese word for a person from the sertão. Sertão refers to the inland xerophitic region of north-eastern Brazil that is isolated from urban centres and associated with the Caatinga and the Cerrado biomes. Sertanejos are known to be shy and elusive as well as rustic and resilient. A noun in apposition.
setepovos	The specific name setepovos, a noun in apposition, was given in reference to the region of occurrence of new species. The "Seven peoples of Missions in northwestern Rio Grande do Sul originaramse Jesuit reductions (18th century. XVII), inhabited mainly by Guarani Indians.
schaeferi	Patronym honoring Scott A. Schaefer, ichthyologist, Editor of Copeia, and Curator of Fishes at the American Museum of Natural History, for his many contributions to the field of ichthyology, and for his contributions to our understanding of the Loricarioidea in particular. A noun in apposition (Lujan et al.).
*schall*	Derived from the northern Egyptian arabic dialect name of this fish, shâl, written with "sch" because Bloch & Schneider were German speaking biologists.
schomburgki	In honour of R. Schomburgk.
schoutedeni	In honour of Schouteden.
schreitmulleri	In honour of German aquarist Wilhelm Schreitmüller (1870–1945), who provided holotype [name often credited to Ahl 1936, but Arnold made the name available in an aquarium publication before Ahl’s description was published], (Farlowella schreitmulleri).
scriptum	Written, referring to black “scribbles” (translation, i.e., elongated or striated blotches) irregularly scattered on upper body (Steindachneridion scriptum).
schultzei	In honour of Mr. Willy Schultze.
schwartzi	Named in honour of Mr.Willy Schwartz.
sclateri	In honour of William Lutley Sclater (1863-1944), Director, South African Museum, who supplied type (Austroglanis sclateri)
sebae	In honour of A. Seba, a naturalist.
secundus	One which follows another.
seenghala	Marathi vernacular for this species in India, which, as Sykes explained in 1841, he adopted “so that naturalists who travel the country can always obtain” the species (Sperata seenghala).
semiaquilus	From the Latin semi = 'half' and quilus = 'dark coloured', pertaining to the dark colour on the upper body scutes on this Corydoras.
septentrionalis	From the Latin septentrionalis = 'northern', meaning that this Corydoras comes from the northern part of South America.
*serratum*	The specific name is an adjective, derived from the serrated pectoral spine.
serratus	From the Latin; serratus = toothed like a saw.
seussi	Dedicated to Mr.Werner Seus.
sexpapilostoma	sex, six; papilla, tubercle; stoma, mouth, referring to six buccal papillae (four on upper lip, one at each corner of mouth), (Hoplomyzon sexpapilostoma).
shajii	Named for C.P. Shaji, a fish taxonomist who significantly contributed to the documentation of freshwater fish diversity of the Kerala region of Western Ghats by the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI Peechi).
sharpii	In honour of British planter, hunter and colonial administrator in central Africa, Alfred Sharpe (1853-1935), who presented type to the British Museum (Natural History), (Chrysichthys sharpii).
*shawi*	In honour of government quinologist (one who grows cinchona trees for quinine, an early antimalarial) and naturalist G. E. Shaw, who collected the type specimen.
*shewellkeimi*	Named for Mr. Shewell 'Bud' DeBenneville Keim, a nephew of Henry W. Fowler, who was the first full-time curator of fishes at the Academy of Natural Sciences from 1902-1965, for his generous support to Academy ichthyology, including the preservation of Fowler's legacy and the stewardships of his uncle's fishes.
siamensis	From Siam. (Thailand).
*sicula*	Dagger, referring to the short pectoral-fin spines (Erethistoides sicula).
sidereus	From the Latin sidereus for starry. Named because the dark background makes the white to gold spots look like stars.
silondia	Latinisation of Silond, local name for this catfish in Bihar, India (Silonia silondia).
*siluroides*	–oides, having the form of: Silurus, a related genus from Europe, but in this case perhaps referring to catfishes in general (Ompok siluroides).
similis	(Corydoras similis) Named for its similarity to Corydoras ourastigma.
similis	Resembling, referring to close resemblance to P. pseudobagarius (Pseudobagarius similis).
simillima	Like LIMA.
simplex	Single, a “well-differentiated species so that, although only a single specimen was available, [Mees] felt no hesitation in describing it as new” (Tatia simplex).
simulans/atus	Simulating to imitate.
sinense	–ensis, suffix denoting place: Sinica (China), presumably referring to the only country where it was known to occur at the time (also occurs in Cambodia), (Clupisoma sinense).
singaringan	Derived from Ikan Singaringan, local Malay name for this species (ikan=fish), (Mystus singaringan).
sipaliwini	From Sipilawini, a river in Surinam where this Corydoras species was found.
*snethlageae*	Description by Steindachner in recognition of Dr. Snethlage, the collector of the type syntypes.
sodalis	From the Latin sodalis = 'the companion', meaning this Corydoras resembles Corydoras reticulatus.
sofiae	In honour of the first author’s daughter, Sofia, ( Sabaj, M.H.) “for inspiring wisdom in her father” (Xyliphius sofiae).
solox	From the Latin solox, Alluding to the bristles on the pectoral fin spines of the adult male in this Corydoras species.
somjinensis	–ensis, suffix denoting place: Somjin River, South Korea, the type locality (Liobagrus somjinensis).
spectabilis	Remarkable.
*spegazzini*	Named after Dr. Carlos Spegazzini , who collected it in the Rio de Cachi in the Argentinian province of Salta , at an altitude of 2500-2800 meters above sea level, in January 1897. (Trichomycterus spegazzinii).
spilomma	From the small dark spots on the upper portion of the eye; noun in apposition.
spilopterus	spilos, spot; pterus, fin, referring to black spot on adipose fin (Hemibagrus spilopterus).
spilotus	With spots.
spilurus	From the Latin spilurus = 'with spots on the tail'.
spiniger	spinus, spine; –iger, to bear, i.e., spiny, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to dermal odontodes of holotype, described as keeled scales with tips “extending into small spines” (translation), (Hypostomus spiniger).
spiniserrata	The specific name of spiniserrata: spinus, spine; serrata, toothed like a saw, referring to pectoral fin “rather strongly serrated in its inner side” (Parailia spiniserrata).
spinosissimus	The most spiny.
spinosus	Spiny.
splendens	Splendid; bright or glittering.
*spondylus*	The specific epithet spondylus is in reference to the tuft of odontodes on the trunk lateral dermal plates that resemble the thorny projections of the bivalve mollusk known as spiny oyster. A noun in apposition.
stappersi	After a personal name.
steinbachi	Dedicated to Mr. J. Steinbach - collector of the type material (Rineloricaria steinbachi).
steindachneri	In honour of Franz Steindachner, the Austrian ichthyologist, (1834-1919).
stellata	The specific name stellata, adjective of Latin origin meaning "starred", given to the species in allusion to the dark, evident in fins and lateral line pores.
stellatus	From the Latin for starred or spotted, in reference to the pattern of cream-coloured spots on the body (Nanobagrus stellatus).
stenocephalus	From the Latin stenocephalus = 'narrow-headed'.
*stenogrammus*	Epithet is compounded from the Greek words stenos, meaning narrow, and gramme, meaning line. The epithet is proposed in reference to the thin white line along the lateral line.
stenomus	Narrow shoulders.
stenura	From the Greek stenos, meaning narrow, and oura, meaning tail. In reference to the extremely narrow caudal peduncle. Used as a noun.
sterbai	In honour of Dr Günther Sterba.
stewarti	In honour of Douglas Stewart (1873-1926), Curator of Mineralogy and Assistant to the Director of the Carnegie Museum (Rineloricaria stewarti).
*stiassnyae*	Named to honour the collector of the holotype, Melanie L. J. Stiassny (American Museum of Natural History, New York), who has raised an eloquent voice in conservation matters.
*stocki*	Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Jan H. Stock, on occasion of his retirement, with remembrance of and gratitude for his energetic and enthusiastic activities as a teacher and colleague.
stomias	Named for its large mouth; noun in apposition.
stormii	In honour of F .J. P. Storm van‘s Gravesande (1812-1875), Dutch government commissioner of Djambi (also spelled Jambi), Sumatra, who provided type (Hemiarius stormii).
striatulus	With elongated stripes.
striatus	Striped.
strigata	Meaning striped.
strigilata	With small, hair-like bristles, referring to “abundant” (translation) bristles on body (Rineloricaria strigilata).
stroudi	In honour of philanthropist William Boulton Dixon Stroud (1917-2005), for his support of the author’s field studies and collecting in the Colombian llanos (Gelanoglanis stroudi).
stuarti	In honour of Dr. Laurnece C. Stuart.
stubelii	After a personal name.
*subtilis*	The specific name is derived from the Latin subtilis (slender), referring to its relatively long and slender body.
styani	In honour of Frederic William Styan (1838– 1934), tea trader and natural history collector in China, who “presented” holotype (Liobagrus styani).
subrostratus	sub (L.), less or under (i.e., somewhat); rostratus (L)., beaked, referring to its less-elongate snout compared with A. rostratus (a junior synonym), described in the same publication (Arius subrostratus).
*suia*	The specific name “suia” refers to the Suias indigenous people who, since the 90’s, have stood out in the fight to protect the Suiá-Missu River environment and for recovery of their traditional lands outside the limits of Xingu park. A noun in apposition.
sumatranus	From Sumatra.
surinamense/is	From Surinam.
suttonorum	In honour of Dr. and Mrs Frederick A. Sutton.
swierstrai	Patronym not identified, probably in honour of Cornelis Jacobus Swierstra (1874-1952), a Dutch-born South African entomologist, who, according to Jubb, Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa (1967), collected the type (Chiloglanis swierstrai).
sychri	In honour of Mr. Al Sychr of Hayward, California, U.S.A. who gave the original aquarium specimens to Dr. Weitzman to describe.
sympterygium	The specific name of sympterygium: syn-, together; pterygion, fin, referring to confluent anal and caudal fins (Heptapterus sympterygium).

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SCOTCAT.COM

your internet guide to all things catfish

SPECIES NAMES PAGE 'S'

Genus Names A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

S