Dear Gary,
On the gender of generic names ending in -x:
Aside from the Greek imports such as "Donax" (I wholeheartedly agree with
Gert on its masculine gender), occasionally third declension nouns ending
in -x are of "common" gender (variable with context). The genus
Troschelvindex introduced by H. B. Baker [Nautilus 37(3): 90, 1924] - a
combination of Troschel (German [male] malacologist who discovered a unique
feature in the type species' radula and was hereby honored), and vindex
(avenger, a common noun). Baker changed the spelling of the trivial name
of his new type species from Cyclostoma illustre Poey, 1857 to V. illustris
(ambiguously masculine OR feminine). It seems Baker never indicated the
gender of his new genus. I think it reasonable to assign it to the
masculine as it seems that Troschel's avenger (vindicator) was more likely
male than female. Otherwise it might appear he was being less than chivalrous.
Harry
At 04:55 PM 3/6/01 -0500, you wrote:
>To answer the specific question, yes, it is correct to change Mitra
>tuberosum to Mitra tuberosa. The species was first described as Mitra
>tuberosa Reeve, 1845, then moved to the genus Vexillum, where it became
>Vexillum tuberosum. More recently it has been demonstrated that it was not a
>Vexillum (it lacks lirations in the aperture) and it has been transferred
>back to Mitra, but some authors have forgotten to change ^tuberosum^ back to
>^tuberosa^.
>
>It is not true that all Latin plant names are feminine. For example, apium
>(parsley) is neuter and carduus (thistle) is masculine. Quercus (oak) is
>feminine because it is fourth declension. Botanists have the same problem
>with gender agreement that zoologists have.
>
>About 95% of all molluscan genera that end in -us are masculine. Ficus and
>Venus are the commonest exceptions, being feminine. Some less common ones
>are Acus, Globivenus, and Bathydomus, also feminine.
>
>Similarly, about 95% of molluscan genera that end in -a are feminine, but
>because -a is the commonest ending, there are lots of exceptions. Only a
>very few genera that end in -a are masculine: e.g., Argonauta and Amnicola,
>since nauta (sailor) and -cola (dweller) are masculine in Latin. Most of the
>exceptions come from Greek and end in the neuter -ma:
>
>-derma (skin), e.g. Cerastoderma
>-nema (thread), e.g., Didianema
>-oma (bulge, tumor), e.g, Cyphoma
>-poma (lid, i.e., operculum), e.g., Homalopoma
>-ptygma (fold), e.g., Pleioptygma
>-stoma (mouth), e.g., Calliostoma
>-trema (hole), e.g., Cirsotrema.
>
>However, -ma is neuter only about half the time, otherwise it is feminine,
>e.g., Agathatoma, Chama, Eulima, Gemma, Lima. The -um ending in Latin is
>always neuter.
>
>Here are some guidelines for generic names ending with various letters:
>-a, 95% feminine (see above for exceptions);
>-e, 95% feminine;
>-m, almost always neuter (I know of no exceptions);
>-n, masculine or neuter, not feminine;
>-o, masculine or feminine, not neuter;
>-r, masculine about 60% of the time, can be feminine or neuter;
>-s, masculine or feminine, rarely neuter;
> -es, masculine; is, 80% feminine; -os, masculine; -ops, masculine;
>-opsis, feminine;
>-x, almost always feminine;
>any other letter, usually masculine.
>
>Gary
**********************************************************
Harry G. Lee
Suite 500
1801 Barrs St.
Jacksonville, FL 32204
USA 904-384-6419
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