The hissing cockroach used in Starry Night artwork has which scientific name?

The hissing cockroach used in Starry Night artwork has which scientific name?

• A. Gromphadorhina portentosa
• B. Gromphadorhina portentosus
• C. Gromphadorhina portentosa
• D. Gromphadorhina portentosae

Answer: (C)

Biological names use binomial nomenclature: a genus name followed by a species epithet, both in Latin and usually italicized. The genus Gromphadorhina is feminine, so the species epithet must be the nominative singular feminine form to agree with it. That gives Gromphadorhina portentosa. The masculine form portentosus would clash with the genus’s gender, and portentosae is not the correct nominative form for a species epithet. So the hissing cockroach’s accepted scientific name is Gromphadorhina portentosa.

Biological names use binomial nomenclature: a genus name followed by a species epithet, both in Latin and usually italicized. The genus Gromphadorhina is feminine, so the species epithet must be the nominative singular feminine form to agree with it. That gives Gromphadorhina portentosa. The masculine form portentosus would clash with the genus’s gender, and portentosae is not the correct nominative form for a species epithet. So the hissing cockroach’s accepted scientific name is Gromphadorhina portentosa.