The
species is named macrocephalus for its large head: macro-
(large) and cephalus (head) - (Cnidoglanis macrocephalus).
macrodon
Large
teeth.
macrops
Large appearance.
macropterus
Large
wing, (referring to the fins).
macrostigma
Large spots.
macrostoma
From
the Greek makros, meaning long and stoma, meaning mouth;
in reference to the size of the mouth.
maculicauda
Spotted tail.
maculifer
Carrying
spots.
maculippinis
Spotted fins.
madeirensis
From
a geographical locality.
magdalenae/atum
From the Magdalena
River, South America.
major
Larger;
senior to another.
malabarbai
The specific name honours
Luiz Roberto Malabarba for his active contribution to
the knowledge of the Neotropical ichthyofauna.
malabarensis
Named for the older
name for the region of northern Kerala, (‘Malabar’)
in which this species occurs (Glyptothorax malabarensis).
malabaricus
From
the Malabar coast, India.
malayensis
From Malaya.
mamore
From
the Rio Mamore for this Corydoras species.
mancoi
For
the Inca Ayar Manco, coloniser of Cuzco, the “Moses
of the Peruvian Indians”, who, about 1100 A.D. led
the exodus from Tampu-tocco.” (Eigenmann & Allen,
1942).
mandibularis
From
the Latin "mandibula" (lower jaw), probably
refering to the rather well developed mandibular barbels.
manillensis
The
specific name for Arius manillensis found in
the area around Manila, The Philippines.
marapoama
The
specific epithet marapoama is in reference to the county
of the city in which the new species was collected. It
is treated as a noun in apposition.
marcapatae
Named
for the type locality of this Ancistrus; Marcapata
Valley, E. Peru.
marginatum
Provided
with a margin (edge).
margaritatus
The specific epithet
is Latin for “adorned with pearls,” referring
to the dense white spots on the body.
mariae
After
a personal name.
marmoratus
Marbled; mottled.
marthae
(1)
In
honour of Martha Ruth Myers, wife of Dr.G.S. Myers.
marthae
(2)
In honour of Martha
Elizabeth Sands.
meesi
In
honour of Dr.G. Mees of the Leiden Natural History Museum,
Germany.
megalopteryx
From the Greek megale,
meaning large, and pteryx, meaning wing or fin, alluding
to its large pectoral fin.
megistus
Probably
latinised form of the ancient Greek word megistos, which
means “the greatest”.
melanistius
From the Greek melan
= 'black' and histion = 'sail', alluding to the
dorsal fin.
melanogaster
Black
belly.
melanotaenia
From the Greek
melan = 'black' and the Latin taenia = ribbon,
fillet , tapeworm.
melas
Black.
melini
Named in honour of
Dr. Douglas Melin.
membranaceus
Refers
to the presence of a membrane on the barbels of this Synodontis.
menezesi
This Aspidoras
sp. was named in honour of its collector, R.S. de Menezes.
mephisto
The
epithet “mephisto” refers to the shortened
name of Mephistopheles, demon from the German folklore.
Mephistopheles comes from the Greek by the combination
of three words: (me), a negation, (phos), meaning light,
and (philis), meaning loving, literally “not-light-loving”,
or the one who does not love the light, making allusion
to the subterranean behavior of the new species. A noun
in apposition.
metae
From the River (Rio)
Meta, South America (Colombia).
metaense
The
specific name refers to the type locality, Meta River,
a tributary of the Orinoco River in Colombia and Venezuela.
micracanthus
From the Greek; mikros
= small; akantha = thorn, prickle.
microcphalus
From
the Greek, mikros = small; galaeus = helmet.
microgalaeus
Small head.
microlepidogaster
Small
scales on the belly.
micromaculatus
From the Greek, mikros
= small; maculatus;
spotted.
micropunctatus
From
the Greek, mikros = small. From
the Latin punctatus = 'spotted'.
microps
Small appearance.
midgleyi
Named
after Midgley.
microstomus
Small mouth.
mimulus
Specific
name derived from a Latin word, mimulus, diminutive of
minus, meaning actor, given with reference to the mimicry
in colour pattern with Corydoras diphyes.
minutes
Minute, known for its
small size.
misionera
Refers
to Misiones, the Argentinian Province containing the type
locality.
miurus
miurus meaning
curtailed, probably referring to the short appearance
of this fish (Noturus).
mojicai
The
epithet specific mojicai, is a tribute to the Doctor José
Iván Mojica, Director of the Museum of Ichthyology
of the Institute of natural sciences of the National University
of Colombia - Bogotá, for his contributions to
the knowledge of the Colombian Ichthyology.
moijiri
The specific epithet
moijiri (Spinipterus moiijri) comes from Moijiri;
this species is known among the Paumari Indians that inhabit
the Río Tapauá, Purus basin. The meaning
of the word Moijiri is unknown so far. The Paumari language
belongs to the Arawa linguistic group.
moli
Named
after Dr. Jan Mol for his contributions to the knowledge
of Suriname’s fishes.
mollespiculum
Named for its soft,
flexible dorsal spine.
morrowi
For
William Morrow, who collected this fish.
mucosus
Latin, mucosa, mucosus
= mucous. This refers to the numerous large pores under
the lower jaw, which Vallant refered to as mucous pores
(but are sensory pores).
multitaeniatus
Referring to the origin
of the type material of this species, collected in the
Cameroons.
multimaculatus
From
the Latin multi = 'many', and maculatus
= 'spotted', alluding to the many spots on the specimen.
multifasciatus
Many banded.
multipunctatus
Many
Spotted.
multiradiatus
Many (fin) rays.
munduruku
Named
after the Munduruku, a large indigenous group inhabiting
a large part of the southwestern Para' State along the
Rio Tapajo's until the Rio Madeira in the Amazon State
and the northern part of the Mato Grosso State in Brasil.
The Munduruku people are well known for being powerful
warriors and great strategists, and in recent years they
have drawn much attention for the fight against the hydroelectric
dams in the Xingu and the ones planned in the Tapajo's
Rivers.
muricata
From the Latin adjective
muricata, meaning spiny (like a murex), in reference to
its elongate dorsal and pectoral-fin spines.
murinus
murinus;
meaning mouse gray and refers to its colour.
mystus
"Mystax"
meaning whiskered. Mystus was first used by Belon
in 1553 to describe all fish with whiskers.
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