Yes, this is a neat source. I tried a few I knew already, like rufiventris—worked great. I also tried some I didn't know: Cicindela (genus name in Tiger Beetles) translates as a candle or a firefly! No help for my Tiger Beetle species name Ancocisconensis.

I looked at Amazon for the Dictionary of Entomology. Should I get the $150 one by Wrobel or the other one by Gordh that only costs $140? Ouch! Maybe I can find a used one.

--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
Buckhannon, WV
www.stephencresswell.com

I got the one by Gordh--found it used for $55, paperback. (I wasn't interested enough to spring for a new one.) Try bookfinder.com. powells.com is a big bookstore in Oregon where I actually found that. I haven't seen the other dictionary you mention.

Again, Gordh doesn't help, usually, with many specific and generic names--there are just too many and they are too obscure.

Ancocisco is a place name in Maine, see Ancocisco Bay Islands: Depending on which are counted as islands, there are about 140 in Casco Bay. When first settled, area Indians called it ancocisco, "place of the Herons," a word from which Casco may be derived.

The suffix "-nensis" is Latin means "coming from" or "inhabitant of". I found that on Google by searching "nensis suffix" without the quotes. I have a Latin dictionary, but I was too lazy to get up and get it. I've seen that in other insect and plant names, such as "arizonensis" and "carolinensis".

Google knows all, sometimes.

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina

Neat to see that resource. I'll have to play with it in the future. I took Latin in high school and college, and now may get some more mileage out of it.

Often so-called "Latin" names are actually Greek. Those educated 18th and 19th century biologists were usually conversant with both. The Greek roots can be hard. (I started to learn Classical Greek at one point, but have put it off for retirement.) Sometimes there are subtle little jokes from classical mythology embedded in the (especially) genus names. I need to get a good dictionary of mythology for help on those.

Google is always a good tool. I attempt to discern the root in a name and then Google the root. The excellent "Do you Mean..." feature on Google has found the right (apparently) answer several times when I guessed the root wrong. (Psellus as the apparent origin of Pselliopus was the best example.)

I do look in A Dictionary of Entomology sometimes--that is one of Troy's references. It is good on terms, but usually does not have the obscure genus names.

Anybody has any other good methods, I'd be delighted to hear about them.

Entomological entymology can be quite fun, and sometimes illustrates something about the critter that was not obvious.

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina