coe·ru·le·us

I know this term from neuroanatomy where it is used to describe a group of
nerve cells in the base of the brain "locus coeruleus" that appear blue,
possibly due to copper bound to an enzyme there - confirmed by looking up
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary on the web where it says :

Main Entry: locus coe·ru·le·us
Variant(s): also locus ce·ru·le·us /-si-'rü-lE-&s/
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, literally, dark blue place
Date: circa 1889
: a blue area of the brain stem with many norepinephrine-containing neurons

In contrast, caeruleus did not elicit a response from this dictionary !!

Bruce L.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Monfils, Paul" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2001 1:48 AM
Subject: Re: collecting and taxonomic help needed


> caeruleus/a/um is the Latin word for blue.  coeruleus/a/um doesn't mean
> anything that I am aware of, yet I have seen this spelling in a number of
> species names, presumably intended to have the same meaning as caeruleus.
> Anyone know why this is so?
>
> Paul M.
>