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I am doing a project in my latin class on Mayflies of North America. I must derive the latin names of each species, determine the declension, and case. I am having a hard time finding these names in any latin dictionary. Is there anyone who may have a good resource for me to find this information in?

This may be more than you want:


COMPOSITION OF SCIENTIFIC WORDS
A manual of methods and a lexicon of materials for the practice of logotechnics
ROLAND WILBUR BROWN Geologist, U. S. Geological Survey
Information: Book Title: Composition of Scientific Words: A Manual of Methods and a Lexicon of Materials for the Practice of Logotechnics. Contributors: Roland Wilbur Brown - author. Publisher: Smithsonian Institution Press. Place of Publication: Washington, DC. Publication Year: 1956. Page Number: *.

another one I like:

Jaeger, Edmund C., 1944. A Source Book of Biological Names and Terms, C.T. Thomas publisher.

Remember that there's a big difference between Latin and Latinized. Lots of scientific names are just English words, or some entomologist's girlfriend's name or something, with Latin suffixes tacked on the end. And some of them (like Isonychia bicolor) don't even seem to be Latinized.

You'll have to pick and choose your species to find good Latin words from your class. There are plenty to choose from, but don't get hung up on any particular name that doesn't seem to be Latin... it probably isn't.

I bet Louis can help. I know he's fluent in at least one dead language. ;)

Thank you for the help. I figured that some of the species names weren't in latin.

The previous recommendations, which I am not familiar with, may prove to be better references, but early chapters (1-7) of Wheelock's Latin give a clear sense of different declensions that may be useful. Chapter 7 in fact has some tips for common endings in the third declension that may help, though offhand most of the names that come to mind seem simple first declension nominative, such as Drunella cornuta. Roger, what do you think?

Louis-



In response to your rhetorical question, I shall rely on Mark Twain, who advises, "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."

I knew we'd get a good answer out of our one and only Taxon.