Gymnoderus
jim-no-DAIR-us
Genus
the bare-skinned one
Literally: naked skin
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gymno- | naked, bare | Greek (gymn, -o) | combining form gymno- |
| -der- | skin | Greek (derm, der, -ato) | stem derm/der from Greek derma; -m dropped before the Latin/NL masculine ending |
| -us | nominative singular masculine ending | Latin | standard New Latin masculine genus termination |
Gymnoderus is a New Latin masculine noun formed from two Greek combining forms: gymno- ('naked') + der- (stem of derma, 'skin') + the Latin masculine nominative ending -us. The whole word functions as a noun in apposition standing as the genus name. The bare, featherless skin on the head and neck of the bare-necked fruitcrow (Gymnoderus foetidus) directly motivates the name.
Pronunciation
- jim-no-DAIR-us Penult rule 5: the penult vowel 'e' in '-der-' is short but is followed by two consonants (-r + -us boundary), making the penult heavy and drawing stress to it.
Other readings
gymno- + -derus from Greek deros ('hide, skin') rather than a shortened derma; both roots are closely related and yield the same meaning
The dictionary confirmed 'gymn' (Greek, naked) and 'derm/der' (Greek, skin) as dictionary entries. The segment -der- is the reduced stem of derma (Greek δέρμα, skin); the full form derm- is in the dictionary under 'derm, -ato'. Gymnoderus foetidus (bare-necked fruitcrow, Cotingidae) is the type and only species; the name alludes to the large naked skin patches on the bird's head, neck, and wings.