Taxacom: name for type of axe shape

[John Grehan]

Thank you to everyone who made suggestions on and off the list. Choices were

Labrys or double-headed axe - perhaps labriform.

securiform having the form of an axe or hatchet.

dolabriform, or shaped like a mattock or a pickax.

All of these are potentially good, although they describe the form of an ax
rather than a specific blade shape. Perhaps labriform might be closest
since a double headed axe blade seems to be consistent in shape as an
equally expanded blade that has a convex cutting edge and pointed corner at
each end. Perhaps I am making a mountain out of molehill. Anyway, I might
try labriform and see if colleagues and reviewers can stomach that.  If
there were a labriform leaf I am sure that there would be a term already
for just the single blade (rather than double for labrys).

This got me thinking (a rare thing :) that the valva is expanded in a way
not unlike a Roman Centurion crest which is called a crista transversa.
Maybe 'cristate' or 'critiform' as an adjective (or can someone with Latin
knowledge correct me?)?

Cheers, John

On Thu, Nov 6, 2025 at 11:11 AM Douglas Yanega via Taxacom <
taxacom at lists.ku.edu> wrote:

> On 11/5/25 7:50 PM, John Grehan via Taxacom wrote:
> > Does anyone know of a standard terminology for this kind of blade shape?
>
> The standard form I've seen (as in "seen *repeatedly*") is securiform.
>
> https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wiktionary.org%2Fwiki%2Fsecuriform&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C241b725a58e34a7dfe4a08de1d51c22b%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638980434140743064%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZqxoNAJTbAKat%2FmfTjocK6LAClY0mC1hJEyRLlgBlH8%3D&reserved=0
>
> Most often I've seen this used to describe the terminal segment of
> antennae or palpi. Any coleopterist should be familiar with it.
>
> The only other term I know, which I've only seen used in species
> epithets, is "dolabratus", which would Anglicize as "dolabrate".
>
> Peace,
>
> --
> Doug Yanega      Dept. of Entomology       Entomology Research Museum
> Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314  voicemail:951-827-8704
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