Animal Descriptive Terms
Many pathogens - in particular viruses - are named from the animal in which they are most commonly found. Most people know for example, that the word “canine” refers to dogs. There are numerous other animal adjectives used in scientific literature, and some of these terms may be a source of confusion to readers. For instance, the pathogen name “cercopithecine herpesvirus” would mean, a herpesvirus found in monkeys.
This alphabetical list gives the meanings of animal descriptive terms. Some animals are assigned more than one descriptor. It is also helpful to know that many viruses are not necessarily found exclusively in one species of animal, even though the virus may be named after that species. Certain viruses (or components thereof) cross over to closely related species, and sometimes to more distantly related species.
Acarine – mite, tick Accipitrine – hawk, falcon, or bird of prey Acipenserine - sturgeon Aedine - mosquito Alaudine – skylark Alcelaphine - antelope Alcidine – auk, puffin, or murre Alectorine – crane Anatine – duck, mallard Anguilline - snake Anguine – snake Anopheline – mosquito Anserine – goose Antilopine – antelope Apian – bee Aquiline – eagle Arctian - moth Arietine - ram Asinine – ass Aspine – asp Atherine - smelt Avian – bird or fowl Avine - bird Basilicine – basilisk lizard Batrachian - toad Bisontine – bison Bobovine – gaur Bombycine – silkworm Bovine – cow, ox Bubaline – hartebeest, antelope, buffalo Bufotenine - toad Buteonine – buzzard Caballine – horse Cameline – camel Cancrine - crab Canine – dog Capreoline – roebuck Caprine – goat Cathartine – vulture, buzzard Cebine – capuchin monkey Ceratorhine - rhinoceros Cercopithecine - monkey Cervine – deer, elk, moose, stag Charadrine – plover, snipe, woodcock Chelonian – tortoise, turtle Ciconine – stork Clathrine – primitive sponge Colubrine – kingsnake, gartersnake Columbine – dove Coralline – coral Corvine – crow, raven, jackdaw, jay, magpie Coturnine - quail Cricetine – hamster, gerbil Crocodiline – crocodile Crotaline – rattlesnake Cuculine – cuckoo Culicine – mosquito Cygnine – swan Cyprine – carp Cypseline - swift Dacelonine – kingfisher Dasyproctine - agouti Dasyurine – dasyure Delphine – dolphin Didelphine – opossum Didine – dodo Dinornithine - moa Draconine – dragon Elaphine – deer, stag Elapine – cobra, coral snake, mamba Elephantine – elephant Emberizine – bunting, sparrow Equine – horse Eusuchian - alligator Falconine – falcon, hawk, kestrel Feline – cat Formicine – ant Fringilline – finch Fulicine – coot Fuliguline – eider, sea duck Gadine - cod Gallid, galline – domestic fowl, chicken Garruline – jay or magpie Gazelline – gazelle Giraffine – giraffe Glirine - rodent Gruine – crane Halcyonine - kingfisher Herpestine – mongoose Hippocampine – sea horse Hippopotamine – hippopotamus Hippotigrine – zebra Hircine - goat Hirudine – leech Hirundine – swallow, martin Homarine – lobster Hominine – human Hyenine – hyena Hylobatine – gibbon Hyracine - hyrax Hystricine – porcupine Ibidine – ibis Icterine – blackbird, oriole, meadowlark Lacertilian – lizard Lacertine – lizard Laridine – gull Larine – gull Lemurine – lemur Leonine – lion Leporine – hare Lepine – rabbit Limacine - slug Lumbricine – earthworm Lupine – wolf Lutrine – otter Lyncine – lynx Macropine – kangaroo Macropodine – kangaroo, wallaby Manatine – manatee Megacerine – megaceros Megacerotine - megaceros Megapterine – humpback whale Megatherine – giant ground sloth Meleagrine – turkey Meline - badger Mephitine – skunk Microtine – lemming, vole Milvine – kite Mimine - mockingbird Monadine – monad, flagellated protozoan Moschine – musk deer Murine – mouse, rat Muscicapine – flycatcher, bird Musteline – weasel, mink, badger, ferret, etc. Myoxine - dormouse Myrmecine – ant Myrmecophagine - anteater Nestorine – kaka or kea Noctilionine – bat Octopine – octopus Oniscine – songbird Ophidian - snake Orygine - oryx Oscine – songbird Ostracine – oyster Otarine – fur seal, sea lion, seal Ovibovine – musk ox Ovine – sheep Pandionine – osprey Panorpine – scorpion fly Pantherine – panther Paradoxurine – palm-cat, palm-civet Pardine – leopard Parine – tit, titmouse Passerine – perching bird, sparrow Patelline - limpet Pavonine – peacock Pediculine – louse Penduline – titmouse, bird Percesocine – barracuda Percine - perch Perdicine - partridge Phalacrocoracine – cormorant Phalangine – phalanger Phascolomian - wombat Phasianine – pheasant Philomelian - nightingale Phocaenine – porpoise Phocine – seal Picine – woodpecker Pieridine – butterfly Pierine – butterfly Piscine – fish Porcine – pig Procyonine – raccoon Psittacine – parrot, macaw Pteropine – bat, flying fox Pullastrine - pigeon Pulicine – flea Pyrrhuline – bullfinch Pyrrhuloxine – bunting, cardinal Pythonine - python Ralline – rail Rangiferine – caribou, reindeer Ranine – frog Rhinerocerine – rhinoceros Rucervine – Indian swamp deer Rupicaprine – chamois Sabelline – sable Salamandrine – salamander Saurian - lizard Sciurine – squirrel Scolopacine – snipe, woodcock Serpentine – serpent Simian – monkey, ape Sittine – nuthatch Soricine – shrew Sphingine – hawkmoth, sphinx Sphinxine – sphinx Strigine – owl Struthionine – ostrich, emu, rhea Struthious – ostrich, emu, rhea Sturnine – swallow, starling Suilline – hog, pig Suine – swine Sylphine – sylph Sylvicoline - warbler Talpine – mole Taurine – bull, ox Termitine – termite Testudine - tortoise Tetraonine – grouse Tigrine – tiger Tolypeutine – armadillo Trigine – sandpiper Trochilidine – hummingbird Trochiline – hummingbird Troglodytine - wren Turdine – thrush, bluebird, robin Ursine – bear Vaccine – cow Vermian – worm Vespine – wasp, hornet Viperine – viper, snake Vituline – calf Viverrine – civet, mongoose Volucrine – bird Vulpine – fox Vulturine – vulture Zebrine – zebra Zibeline - sable