specific name
[ spi-sif-ik neym ]
/ spɪˈsɪf ɪk ˈneɪm /
noun Zoology.
(in binomial nomenclature) the second part, always lowercased, of an animal species’ scientific name, but not applicable to plant species: for example, the species Sciurus carolinensis is a squirrel, as all squirrels belong to the genus Sciurus, but it is the specific name carolinensis that identifies the particular species, which is the eastern gray squirrel.
Also called
specific epithet.
Origin of specific name
First recorded in 1750–55