# List of organisms with names derived from Indigenous languages of the Americas

This list includes organisms whose common or scientific names are drawn from indigenous languages of the Americas. When the common name of the organism in English derives from an indigenous language of the Americas, it is given first.
In biological nomenclature, organisms receive scientific names, which are formally in Latin, but may be drawn from any language and many have incorporated words from indigenous language of the Americas. These scientific names are generally formally published in peer-reviewed journal articles or larger monographs along with descriptions of the named taxa and ways to distinguish them from other taxa.

## List

| Taxon | Type | Source language | Notes | Ref |
| Abalone (Haliotis) | sea snail | Rumsen | From aūlun ("Red abalone"), via Spanish | |
| Açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea) | palm tree | Nheengatu | From asai, ultimately from Tupian ĩwasa'i ("[fruit that] cries / expels water"), via Portuguese | |
| Achiote (Bixa orellana) | malval | Nahuatl | From āchiotl ("shrub") | |
| Acouchi (Myoprocta) | rodent | Guarani or Tupi | Probably from agutí, agoutí, or acutí, names for the animal, via French. In Brazilian Portuguese acutí is pronounced acuchí. | |
| Agouti (Dasyprocta) | rodent | Guarani or Tupi | From agutí, agoutí, or acutí, names for the animal. | |
| Ahytherium † | ground sloth | Tupi | From Ahy ("sloth") and Greek therion ("beast") | |
| Aivukus † | walrus | Yup'ik | From Aivuk ("walrus") | |
| Akodon toba | rodent | Toba-Qom | Named after the Toba people, who live in the region where the animal is found | |
| Akodon tucamanensis | rodent | Quechua | Named for the Tucumán Province, perhaps from yucumán ("origin of many rivers") or tucma ("the end of things"). | |
| Allkaruen koi † | pterosaur | Tehuelche | From All ("brain") and karuen ("ancient"). The name was chosen because the holotype consists of a fossilised braincase. The specific name, koi means "lake", since the type locality would have been a saline lake. | |
| Alpaca (Lama pacos) | camelid | Aymara | From allpaca, the Aymara name for the animal, related to Quechua p'ake ("yellowish-red"). | |
| Alnashetri † | alvarezsaurid | Tehuelche (Günün‑a‑kunna dialect) | The genus name means "slender thighs" because of its long and slender hind limbs | |
| Ananas comosus (pineapple) | bromeliad | Tupi | The generic name derives from nanas, the Tupi name of the fruit. | |
| Andalgalomys (Chaco mouse) | rodent | Quechua | Named after the Andalgalá river, ultimately from Quechua "Lord of the Hare" or "Lord of the High Mountain", and Greek mys ("mouse"). | |
| Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) | New World vulture | Quechua | The common name derives from kuntur, via Spanish. | |
| Andinomys edax (Andean mouse) | rodent | Quechua | From the Andes Mountains, probably from Quechua anti ("east"), and Greek mys ("mouse") | |
| Ankonetta † | duck | Tehuelche (Aónikenk dialect) | Anko means "father," referring to Claudio Larriestra, a palaeontologist who worked in Patagonia, where the holotype was found. -netta is derived from Greek "duck". | |
| Aoniraptor † | megaraptoran | Tehuelche | Aoni means south, Latin word raptor is Latin for "thief". | |
| Ara | macaw | Tupi | From ará ("macaw"), an onomatopoeia based on the sound of their call. | |
| Arackar licanantay † | titanosaur | Kunza † | Arackar means "skeleton" and licanatay is another name for the Atacama people, the indigenous inhabitants of the region where the holotype was found, who previously spoke Kunza | |
| Aratasaurus museunacionali † | basal coelurosaur | Tupi | The genus name means "lizard born from fire" from Tupi ara "born" and atá "fire," and Greek saurus "lizard". The name refers to the National Museum of Brazil fire, which the holotype survived unscathed. The species name also is the Portuguese name of the museum. | |
| Aratinga | parakeet | Tupi | Ará tinga means "bright bird" or "bright parrot". | |
| Araucariaceae and Araucaria | conifer | Mapudungun via Spanish | Named for the Spanish exonym Araucano ("from Arauco"), ultimately from Mapudungun rag ko ("clayey water"). | |
| Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza) | umbellifer | Quechua | The common and generic names derive from raqacha, via Spanish | |
| Assapan, southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) | squirrel | Eastern Algonquian, probably Powhatan | "Assapan", the common name in the Southern United States is first attested as assapanick and was probably borrowed from Powhatan, but this is disputed. | |
| Athabascasaurus † | ichthyosaur | Woods Cree | From the Athabasca oil sands area where the holotype was collected, themselves named after the Athabasca River, ultimately from Woods Cree aðapaskāw, which means "[where] there are plants one after another", as well as Greek sauros ("lizard"). | |
| Attalea cohune (cohune palm) | palm | Miskito | The common and specific names derive from ókhún, via Spanish. | |
| Avocado (Persea americana) | laurel | Nahuatl | From āhuacatl via Spanish. The word is often said to derive from the Nahuatl word for testicle, but this meaning was secondary and euphemistic. | |
| Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) | salamander | Nahuatl | From āxōlōtl, after the god Xolotl ("two stalks"), who transformed into the animal. The specific name derives from Mexico, ultimately from Mēxihco (with many possible etymologies) | |
| Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi) | liana | Quechua | From ayawaska, from aya ("spirit, ancestor") + waska ("vine"), via Spanish, so named because it is used to make a psychoactive drink. | |
| Aymaratherium † | ground sloth | Aymara | From Aymara, an indigenous group in the Andes, and therion, which is Greek for "beast". | |
| Bixa orellana (achiote) | malvale | Taíno and Nahuatl | The generic name derives from Taíno bixa. The common name is from Nahuatl āchiotl, the name of the plant. | |
| Black sapote (Diospyros nigra) | persimmon | Nahuatl | The common name derives from tzapotl ("sapote fruit") | |
| Cabassous | armadillo | Carib | From capacou ("armadillo") via French. | |
| Cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) | mallow | Various Mesoamerican languages | Via Spanish, from kakaw in Tzeltal, Kʼicheʼ and Classic Maya; kagaw in Sayula Popoluca; and cacahuatl in Nahuatl | |
| Cacomistle (Bassariscus sumichrasti) | procyonid | Nahuatl | From tlahcomiztli, meaning "half cat" or "half mountain lion" | |
| California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) | New World vulture | Quechua | The common name derives from kuntur, via Spanish. | |
| Camas (Camassia) | asparagid | Nez Perce | From qém̓es ("sweet") | |
| Canihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule) | amaranth | Quechua | From qañiwa / qañawa / qañawi | |
| Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) | deer | Mi'kmaq | From qalipu ("snow shoveler"), referring to its habit of pawing through the snow for food, via French. Known as reindeer outside North America. | |
| Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) | cashew | Tupi | From acajú ("nut that produces itself"), via Portuguese | |
| Cassava, manioc, yuca (Manihot esculenta) | asparagid | Taíno, Tupi, and Guarani | "Cassava" derives from kasabi ("cassava flour"), via Portuguese. "Yuca" was the actual Taíno name for the plant, but Linnaeus mistakenly used the name for the unrelated Yucca plant. Man(d)ioca (manioc) and mandi'o (manihot) are respectively the Tupí and Guaraní names of the plant, both from oca (house) of the mythical figure Man(d)í. | |
| Cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum var.) | pepper | Tupi | From kyynha ("pepper"). The town Cayenne is probably named after the plant, not the other way around. | |
| Caypullisaurus † | ichthyosaur | Mapudungun | From Caypulli ("spirit of Cay") god of the sea in the Mapuche mythology, and saurus ("lizard"). | |
| Celtis iguanaea | hackberry | Taíno | From iguana, ultimately from Taino iwana | |
| Celtis tala | hackberry | Aymara/Quechua | From tara, the Aymara and Quechua name for various hackberries. | |
| Chacoan peccary (Catagonus wagneri) | peccary | Quechua | Named after the Gran Chaco plains, ultimately from chaku ("hunting land"). | |
| Chaguar (Bromelia serra, Bromelia hieronymi, Deinacanthon urbanianum and Pseudananas sagenarius) | bromeliad | Quechua | From cháhuar | |
| Chamitataxus † | badger | Tewa | Named for the Chamita Formation, where the holotype was found, a Spanish diminutive form of tsąmą' ǫŋwįkeyi, meaning "wrestling pueblo-ruin," and Latin taxus ("badger") | |
| Chayote (Sechium edule) | gourd | Nahuatl | From chayohtli | |
| Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) | magnolial | Quechua | Common and specific names from chirimuya ("cold seeds"), named for the cold environment in which the seeds germinate. | |
| Chia (Salvia hispanica and Salvia columbariae) | mint | Nahuatl | From chian ("oily") | |
| Chigger / harvest mite (Trombiculidae) | mite | Carib | The American common name "chigger" shares its origin with the jigger (a type of flea), deriving from chigoe, ultimately from Galibi Carib siko / chico or, alternatively, from Wolof or Yoruba jiga ("insect") | |
| Chili pepper (capsicum various species) | pepper | Nahuatl | From chīlli ("pepper") |
| Chinchilla | rodent | Quechua | From Quechua chincha ("ocelot"), their exonym for the Chincha people, who once wore its fur. | |
| Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) | salmon | Chinook Jargon | Named after the Chinookan peoples | |
| Chipmunk (Tamias, Eutamias, Neotamias) | squirrel | Ottawa | From jidmoonh ("red squirrel", literally "those who descend headfirst"). | |
| Choco toucan (Ramphastos brevis) | | | | |
| Chubutherium † | ground sloth | Tehuelche | Named for the Chubut River, ultimately from Tehuelche chupat ("transparent"), and Greek therium, meaning "beast". | |
| Chubutisaurus † | titanosaur | Tehuelche | Named for the Chubut River, ultimately from Tehuelche chupat ("transparent"), and Greek saurus, meaning lizard. | |
| Chubutophis † | boa snake | Tehuelche | Named for the Chubut River, ultimately from Tehuelche chupat ("transparent"), and Greek ophis, meaning snake. | |
| Chuckwalla (Sauromalus) | iguanid | Shoshone or Cahuilla | The common name derives from Shoshone tcaxxwal or Cahuilla čaxwal, via Spanish | |
| Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) | salmon | Lower Chinook | The common name derives from tzum ("spotted") via Chinook Jargon. | |
| Cisco (Coregonus artedi and several other species) | salmon | Ojibwe | From siscowet ("cooks itself"), via French. | |
| Coati (nasua and nasuella) | procyonid | Tupi | From kua'ti, itself composed of cua ("belt") and tim̃ ("nose"), via Portuguese and Spanish. | |
| Coca (Erythroxylum) | erythroxylacean | Quechua | From kúka, via Spanish | |
| Coendou (prehensile-tailed porcupines) | New World porcupine | | "a Brazilian native name for the porcupine" | |
| Cohosh (Actaea and Caulophyllum) | Ranunculal | Penobscot | From kkwὰhas ("rough"), originally referring to Caulophyllum thalictroides | |
| Comahuesaurus † | diplodocid | Mapudungun | Named for the Comahue region, whose name means 'place of abundance', or perhaps 'where the water hurt', and Greek saurus, meaning lizard. | |
| Comahuesuchus † | notosuchian crocodylomorph | Mapudungun | Named for the Comahue region, whose name means 'place of abundance', or perhaps 'where the water hurt', and suchus, the Greek name of the Egyptian crocodile god Sobek. | |
| Comahuetherium † | astrapothere | Mapudungun | Named for the Comahue region, whose name means 'place of abundance', or perhaps 'where the water hurt', and Greek therium, meaning "beast". | |
| Conepatus chinga (Hog-nosed skunk) | skunk | Nahuatl and Mapudungun | The genus name is most likely from conepatl, the Nahuatl name of the animal, ultimately meaning "burrower". The species name is possibly from Mapudungun chingue ("skunk") or Spanish chinga ("pug-nosed") | |
| Coontie palm (Zamia integrifolia) | cycad | Muscogee / Creek | From conti hateka ("white root"). | |
| Cougar (puma concolor) | big cat | Quechua and Tupi | The common name is from jaguara ("large predator"), also the root of "jaguar", via French and Portuguese. The generic name is from puma, the Quechua name of the animal | |
| Coyote (Canis latrans) | dog | Nahuatl | From coyōtl, via Spanish | |
| Cozumel raccoon (procyon pygmaeus) | procyonid | Yucatec Maya | From Cozumel island, ultimately from Kùutsmil ("island of swallows"). | |
| Ctenomys maulinus (Maule tuco-tuco) | tuco-tuco | Mapudungun | From Laguna del Maule, ultimately from maule ("rainy") | |
| Ctenomys talarum (Talas tuco-tuco) | tuco-tuco | Quechua | From Las Talas, ultimately from the name of the tala tree | |
| Ctenomys tucumanus (Tucuman tuco-tuco) | tuco-tuco | Quechua | Named for the Tucumán Province, perhaps from yucumán ("origin of many rivers") or tucma ("the end of things"). | |
| Cullinia † | litoptern | Mapudungun | From cullin, meaning "animal". | |
| Dicotyles tajacu (Collared peccary) | pig | Tupi | From tai wasu ("big tooth") | |
| Diospyros texana | persimmon | Caddo | The specific name derives from Texas, ultimately from táyshaʼ ("friend"). The common name "chapote" derives from tzapotl ("sapote fruit", probably originally referring to the black sapote) | |
| Dowitcher (Limnodromus) | waders | Iroquoian | The exact root is unknown, but it was probably something like Oneida tawístawe ("snipe") | |
| Eastern wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus) | stiff-vine | Dakota | From wā ("arrow") and hu ("wood") | |
| Elaltitan † | titanosaur | Tehuelche | From El-lal, a Tehuelche god, and Greek titan, a mythological race of giants. | |
| Elemgasem † | abelisaurid | Tehuelche | From Elemgasem, the name of a Tehuelche god. | |
| Equus alaskae † | horse | Aleut | From Latin equus ("horse") and alaskae "of Alaska," ultimately from Aleut alaxsxaq, meaning "the mainland" or, more literally, "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". | |
| Equisetum similkamense † | horsetail | Nicola | From the Similkameen River, itself from Similkameigh, believed to mean "Salmon river." | |
| Eriocampa tulameenensis † | sawfly | Nlaka'pamuctsin | From the Tulameen River near where the holotype was collected, which itself means "red earth". | |
| Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) | smelt | Lower Chinook | From uλalxʷen, the name of the fish, via Chinook Jargon. The word may also be the origin of the name Oregon. | |
| Euneomys chincilloides (Patagonian chinchilla mouse) | rodent | Quechua | From chinchilla, ultimately from Quechua chincha ("ocelot"). | |
| Futalognkosaurus † | titanosaur | Mapudungun | From futa ("giant") and lognko ("chief"), as well as Greek saurus ("lizard"). | |
| Galictis cuja (Lesser grison) | weasel | Mapudungun | From cuja, the Mapudungun name of the animal. | |
| Gnatusuchus pebasensis † | caiman | Quechua, Peba | From Quechua Ñatu, meaning "small nose," and suchus, the Greek name of the Egyptian crocodile god Sobek. The species name is from the Pebas Formation, where the holotype was collected, which itself derives from the now-extinct Peba language | |
| Goeppertia allouia (Guinea arrowroot) | arrowroot | Kalinago | The specific name derives from the Kalinago name of the plant. | |
| Green sapote (Pouteria viridis) | sapotacean | Nahuatl | The common name derives from tzapotl ("sapote fruit", probably originally referring to the black sapote) | |
| Gualicho shinyae † | allosaurid | Mapudungun | Named after the gualichu, a Mapuche monster | |
| Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) | camelid | Quechua | From the Quechua name of the animal, wanaku. | |
| Guarana (Paullinia cupana) | soapberry | Guaraní | From warana ("eyes of the gods"), the name of the plant among the Sateré-Maué, referring to an origin myth, via Portuguese | |
| Guaruba guarouba (golden parakeet) | parakeet | Tupi | Both generic and specific names come from Guiarubas, meaning "yellow bird" | |
| Guava (Psidium guajava) | myrtle | Taíno | Common and specific names derive from guayabo via Spanish | |
| Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis † | saurischian | Cacán | From the Ischigualasto Formation, where the holotype was collected, which itself means "place where the moon alights". | |
| Hickory (Carya) | walnut family | Algonquian language (perhaps Powhatan) | From pockerchicory, pocohicora, or similar, perhaps a name for the tree's nuts or a drink made from them. | |
| Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) | bird | Nahuatl | The common and specific names derive from huāctzin, the name for the unrelated laughing falcon. It is unclear how the name came to be attached to this bird, which is not found within the area where Nahuatl is spoken. | |
| Holochilus chacarius (Chacoan marsh rat) | rodent | Quechua | Named after the Gran Chaco plains, ultimately from chaku ("hunting land"). | |
| Husky (breeds of Canis familiaris) | dog | Innu-aimun | From ayas̆kimew ("a person who laces a snowshoe"), the Innu exonym for the Mi'kmaq, which is also the root of Eskimo, since these dogs were used by the Mi'kmaq and other Arctic peoples | |
| Ibirania † | titanosaur | Tupi | From Ibirá, the municipality where the specimens were discovered, and ybyrá, meaning "tree", and ania, a modified form of Greek plania ("wanderer") | |
| Ilokelesia † | abelisaurid | Mapudungun | From ilo meaning "flesh" and kelesio, "lizard" | |
| Inkayacu paracasensis † | penguin | Quechua | From inka ("emperor" or "king") and yacu ("water") | |
| Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) | bindweed | Taíno | The common and specific names come from batata ("sweet potato") via Spanish. | |
| Ipomoea batatoides | bindweed | Taíno | The specific name comes from batata ("sweet potato") and the Greek ending -oides ("looks like") | |
| Ischigualastia † | dicynodont | Cacán | From the Ischigualasto Formation, where the holotype was collected, which itself means "place where the moon alights". | |
| Jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora) | myrtle | Tupi | From jaboti/jabuti ("Red-footed tortoise") and caba ("place"), meaning "the place where tortoises are found" or "like turtle fat," referring to the fruit's white pulp. | |
| Jacamar | near-passerine birds | Tupi | From jacamarciri, the Tupi name for the Great Jacamar. | |
| Jaguar (panthera onca) | big cat | Tupi | From jaguara ("large predator"), also the root of cougar | |
| Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) | big cat | Old Guarani | From yaguarundi ("large predator"), related to the Tupi jaguara, which is the root of cougar and jaguar | |
| Jakapil kaniukura † | thyreophoran | Puelchean and Mapudungun | Ja-Kapïl, is Puelchean for "shield bearer," the literal meaning of the clade name thyreophora. Kaniukura is Mapudungun for "crest stone", in reference to its deep jaw. | |
| Jalapeño (Capsicum annuum var.) | pepper | Nahuatl | Jalapeño is Spanish for "from Xalapa", the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico, where the pepper was traditionally cultivated. The name Xalapa is Nahuatl, from xālli ("sand") and āpan ("water place"). | |
| Jícama (Pachyrhizus erosus) | pea | Nahuatl | From xīcamatl via Spanish | |
| Jigger (Tunga penetrans) | flea | Carib | From chigoe, ultimately from Galibi Carib siko / chico. Alternatively, from Wolof or Yoruba jiga ("insect") | |
| Juchuysillu † | notoungulate | | | |
| Jurubeba (Solanum paniculatum) | nightshade | Tupi | From yuruíbeba | |
| Kaikaifilu † | mosasaur | Mapudungun | From Kai-Kai filú, a reptilean ocean deity of the Mapuche | |
| Kaikaifilusaurus † | rhynchocephalia | Mapudungun | From Kai-Kai filú, a reptilean ocean deity of the Mapuche and Greek saurus ("lizard"). | |
| Katepensaurus goicoecheai † | rebbachisaurid | Tehuelche | From katepenk, "hole", referring to a distinctive opening in the transverse processes of the dorsal vertebrae, and Greek saurus ("lizard"). | |
| Kawas benegasorum † | seal | Tehuelche | From kawas ("mermaid" or "southern elephant seal") | |
| Kelenken † | terror bird | Tehuelche | From the name of a spirit, which is depicted as a giant bird. | |
| Kelenkura † | glyptodont | Mapudungun | From këlen ("tail") and kura ("rock"), due to the shape of its tail. | |
| Kelep (Ectatomma tuberculatum) | ant | Qʼeqchiʼ | | |
| Kelumapusaura machi † | hadrosaur | Mapudungun | From kelumapu ("red earth") and Greek saura ("female lizard"). The specific name, "machi," is a Mapudungun word for "shaman." | |
| Kinkajou (Potos flavus) | procyonid | Algonquian | From kwi·nkwaʔa·ke ("wolverine"), via French. | |
| Kuntinaru † | armadillo | Aymara | From Kuntinaru ("ghost"), which "refers to the ghost-like isolated occurrence of this taxon and the subsequent 12 Myr absence of the tolypeutines in the fossil record" | |
| Kurupi itaata † | abelisaurid | Guaraní and Tupi | The genus name derives from Kurupi, a Guaraní god of fertility and sex, because the fossils were found near a love hotel. The specific name is from ita ("hard") and atã ("rock") after the cemented rocks of the Monte Alto region. | |
| Kyhytysuka sachicarum † | ichthyosaur | Chibcha | The genus name derives from the verb kyhyty and the particle suka, tiogether meaning "the one that cuts with something sharp" because of its unique teeth. The species name derives from the town of Sáchica, near where the holotype was found. | |
| Lakukullus † | ground sloth | Aymara | From Laku'kullu ("wild animal of heights") | |
| Leinkupal † | diplodocid | Mapudungun | From lein ("vanishing") and kupal ("family"), because the genus is the latest known diplodocid | |
| Leufuichthys † | clupeiomorph fish | Mapudungun | From Leufú ("river"), and Greek icthys ("fish"). | |
| Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) | bean | Quechua | From Lima, Peru, itself from Limaq ("talker" or "speaker", after an oracle located there before the Spanish conquest) | |
| Lioptilodes yungas | moth | Aymara / Quechua | From Bolivian Yungas forest, where it was found, ultimately from Aymara and Quechua yunka ("warm region of the Andes") | |
| Llallawavis † | terror bird | Quechua | From Llallawa ("magnificent") and Latin avis ("bird") | |
| Llama (Lama glama) | camelid | Quechua | The common name, genus name, and specific name all derive from the Quechua name for the animal, llama | |
| Llukalkan † | abelisaurid | Mapudungun | llukalkan means "one who scares" or "one who causes fear" | |
| Llullataruca † | litoptern | Quechua | From llulla ("false", "lie" or "deceitful") and taruca ("deer") | |
| Lúcuma Pouteria lucuma | sapotacean | Quechua | From rukma / luqma | |
| Maca (Lepidium meyenii) | brassical | Quechua | From maqa | |
| macaws (Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca) | New World parrots | Tupi | Probably from macavuana, the name of a palm tree which the scarlet macaw fed on, via Portuguese macao. | |
| Mahuidacursor lipanglef † | ornithopod dinosaur | Mapudungun | From mahuida ("mountain") and Latin cursor ("runner"), because there are many mountains surrounding the area where the holotype was found. The specific name is from lipang ("arm") and lef ("light"), because of its slender forearms. | |
| Maip † | megaraptor | Tehuelche | From Maip, the name of a mythological spirit that is "the shadow of death" that "kills with cold wind." | . |
| Maize (Zea mays) | cereal | Taíno | Specific and common name from mahiz | |
| Mammee (Mammea americana) | calophyllacean | Taíno | The generic name and common name are both from mamey, the name of the plant | |
| Mamey sapote Pouteria sapota | sapotacean | Taíno and Nahuatl | The generic name and common name are both from Taino mamey, the name of Mammea americana, which produces similar fruit. The specific and common names both derive from Nahuatl tzapotl ("sapote fruit", probably originally referring to the black sapote) | |
| Manatee (Trichechus) | sea cows | Taíno? | Possibly from manati ("breast"). Alternatively, it may derive from Latin manus ("hand") | |
| Manilkara chicle | sapotacean | Nahuatl or Mayan | From tzictli or tsicte ("gum," "sticky stuff") | |
| Manilkara zapota (Sapodilla) | sapotacean | Nahuatl | The specific and common names both derive from tzapotl ("sapote fruit", probably originally referring to the black sapote) | |
| Mapusaurus † | carcharodontosaurid | Mapuche | From mapu ("earth" or "of the land") and Greek sauros ("lizard") | |
| Margay (leopardus wiedii) | cat | Guaraní language | From mbarakaya ("cat"), via Portuguese | |
| Mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum) | nasturtium | Quechua | From maswa or mashwa, the Quechua name for the plant | |
| Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) | rattlesnake | Ojibwe | From misi-ziibi ("great river", the Mississippi River) | |
| Mazama (brocket deer) | deer | Nahuatl | From mazame, the plural of mazatl "deer". | |
| Mazama bororo (small red brocket) | deer | Bororo | Named after the Bororo people | |
| Mazama chunyi (dwarf brocket) | | | | |
| Mazama gouazoubira gray brocket | deer | Guarani | The specific name comes from guazú-birá ("small deer"), the name of the animal among the Guarani of Paraguay. | |
| Mazama temama (Central American red brocket) | | | | |
| Menhaden (Brevoortia and Ethmidium) | forage fish | Algonquian | A blend of poghaden probably from Abenaki or Penobscot, and an Algonquian word akin to Narragansett munnawhatteaûg, derived from munnohquohteau ("he fertilizes"), referring to their use of the fish as fertilizer. | |
| Mesquite (Prosopis) | mimosoid | Nahuatl | From mizquitl, via Spanish | |
| Moose (Alces alces) | deer | Algonquian | From moosu, likely meaning "he strips off," perhaps in reference to the way that they strip bark from trees. In Eurasia, the same species is known as "Elk", which probably derives from the Proto-Germanic language | |
| Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) | killifish | Narragansett | From moamitteaug ("going in crowds"), reflecting the fishes strong shoaling tendency. | |
| Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) | pike | Ojibwe and Algonquin | The common name and the specific name derive from Ojibwe maashkinoozhe ("great fish") or mashkinonge ("big pike" or "ugly pike") and Algoniquin maskinunga, via French | |
| Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) | rodent | Algonquian (possibly Powhatan) or Abenaki and Wyandot | The common name derives from Algonquian muscascus("it is red", due to its colour) or Abenaki mòskwas, with interference from English "musk", referring to its odor. The generic name derives from Wyandot ondathra, the name of the animal, via French. | |
| Myotis chiloensis | bat | Huilliche | From Chiloé Island, from chilhué ("land of seagulls") | |
| Neotamandua † | anteater | Tupi | From Latin neo ("new") and the genus tamandua, itself from taa ("ant") and mundeu ("trap") | |
| Neuquenornis † | enantiornith | Mapudungun | From the Neuquén River, called Nehuenken ("drafty") in Mapudungun, and Greek ornis ("bird") | |
| Neuquenraptor † | dromaeosaurid | Mapudungun | From the Neuquén River, called Nehuenken ("drafty") in Mapudungun, and Latin raptor ("robber") | |
| Neuquensaurus † | saltasaurid | Mapudungun | From the Neuquén River, called Nehuenken ("drafty") in Mapudungun, and Greek saurus ("lizard") | |
| Neuquensuchus † | mesoeucrocodylid | Mapudungun | From the Neuquén River, called Nehuenken ("drafty") in Mapudungun, and suchus, the Greek name of the Egyptian crocodile god Sobek. | |
| Nhandumirim † | sauropodomorph | Tupi | From Nhandu ("rhea") and mirim ("small") | |
| Nohochichak xibalbahkah † | ground sloth | Mayan | The generic name comes from Nohoch ("great") and ich'ak ("claw"), a translation of the Greek family name Megalonychidae. The specific name is from Xibalba ("the underworld") and ahkah ("dweller") | |
| Nopal (Opuntia cochinellifera) | cactus | Nahuatl | From nohpalli, via Spanish | |
| Nystalus chacuru (white-eared puffbird) | puffbird | Guarani | From chacurú, an imitation of the bird's call. | |
| Oca (Oxalis tuberosa) | wood sorrel | Quechua | The common name derives from uqa, the Quechua name for the plant, via Spanish | |
| Ocelot (leopardalis pardalis) | big cat | Nahuatl | From ōcēlōtl ("jaguar"), perhaps influenced by Latin ocellatus ("having little eyes"), in reference to the cat's spotted coat. | |
| Oligoryzomys chacoensis (Chacoan pygmy rice rat) | rodent | Quechua | Named after the Gran Chaco plains, ultimately from chaku ("hunting land"). | |
| Olingo (Bassaricyon) | procyonid | Uncertain | Edward A. Goldman reported hearing the name from "several native hunters" in Panama in 1920. It is also reported as a native name for the howler monkey in Nicaragua. | |
| Opossum (Didelphimorphia) | marsupial | Powhatan | From aposoum ("white animal"), from Proto-Algonquian *wa·p-aʔθemwa ("white dog"), originally referring to the Virginia opossum | |
| Otocinclus bororo (Paraguay dwarf sucker) | armoured catfish | Bororo | Named after the Bororo people | |
| Oyamel fir (Abies religiosa) | fir | Nahuatl | From oya, "to thresh"; metl, "agave", via Spanish | |
| Paca (Cuniculus) | rodent | Tupi | From paca, the name of the animal, meaning "awake, alert" | |
| Pacara earpod tree (Enterolobium contortisiliquum) | mimosa | Quechua | From pacara | |
| Pacay (Inga feuilleei) | mimosa | Quechua | From pakay | |
| Pachagnathus † | pterosaur | Aymara | From the pacha ("earth"), referring to the inland environment it inhabited | |
| Pachyrhizus ahipa (ahipa) | pea | Quechua | The specific and common names derive from ajipa / asipa, the Quechua name for the plant, via Spanish. | |
| Pampadromaeus † | sauropodomorph | Quechua | From pampa ("plain") and Greek dromaeus ("runner") | |
| Pampas cat (Leopardus pajeros) | big cat | Quechua | From pampa ("plain"). The species name, pajeros is from "a native name" for the cat. | |
| Pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) | deer | Quechua | From pampa ("plain") | |
| Pampatherium † | glyptodont | Quechua | From pampa ("plain") and Greek therium ("beast") | |
| Papaya, paw-paw (Carica papya) | brassical | Taíno | From papáia via Spanish | |
| Para dog-faced bat (Cynomops paranus) | free-tailed bat | Tupi | From the Pará River, ultimately from Pará ("sea" or "large river") | |
| Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) | spurge | Tupi | From the Pará River, ultimately from Pará ("sea" or "large river") | |
| Parvinatator wapitiensis † | ichthyosaur | Shawnee/Cree | The specific name is ultimately from waapiti ("elk," literally "white rump") | |
| Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) | magnolial | Probably Miami-Illinois | The generic name derives from assimin or rassimin, via French. The common name is derived from papaya (see above). | |
| Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) | hickory | Algonquin and Miami-Illinois | The common name derives from pakani, an Algonquin word variously referring to pecans, walnuts, and hickory nuts, via French. The specific name derives from Illinois, ultimately from irenwe·wa ("he speaks the regular way"), via Ojibwe and French | |
| Peccary | pig | Tupi | From pé ("path"), caa ("wood"), and ri ("many"), because of the paths through the forest that the animal creates | |
| Pehuenchesuchus † | sebecosuchid | Mapudungun | Named after the Pehuenche people, whose name means "people of the monkey puzzle tree", and suchus, the Greek name of the Egyptian crocodile god Sobek. | |
| Pekania pennanti (Fisher) | mustelid | Abenaki | From pekan, its name in Abenaki | |
| Pelorocephalus ischigualastensis † | temnospondyl | Cacán | From the Ischigualasto Formation, where the holotype was collected, which itself means "place where the moon alights". | |
| Persimmon (Diospyros) | ebenacean | Powhatan | From pichamins, pushemins, or pasimenan ("dried fruit"), originally connected with Diospyros virginiana | |
| Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) | cactus | Nahuatl | From peyōtl ("caterpillar cocoon"), from a root peyōni ("to glisten"). | |
| Phyllotis osilae (Bunchgrass leaf-eared mouse) | rodent | Quechua | The specific name derives from Asillu District | |
| Pichi (Zaedyus pichiy) | armadillo | Mapudungun | From pichi ("small") | |
| Pilmatueia † | diplodocid | | From Pilmatué, where the holotype was found. | |
| Pinus latahensis † | pine | Nez Perce | From the Latah Formation, incorrectly believed to be the findspot of the holotype, named after Latah Creek ("a place of pines and sestles" or "fish") | |
| Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) | heather | Cree or Abenaki | From Cree pipsissewa ("breaks into small pieces", referring to a medicinal use) or Abenaki kpipskwáhsawe ("flower of the woods") | |
| Pitaya (Stenocereus and Selenicereus) | cactus | Taíno | | |
| Pitekunsaurus † | titanosaur | Mapudungun | From pitekun ("to discover") and Greek saurus ("lizard") | |
| Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) | phytolaccacean | Powhatan | From pocan and English "berry" | |
| Scup (Sparidae , porgy) | ray-finned fish | Narragansett | From mishcùppaûog ("porgies"). | |
| Possum (Phalangeriformes) | marsupial | Powhatan | Named for its perceived similarity to the opossum, whose name derives from aposoum ("white animal"), from Proto-Algonquian *wa·p-aʔθemwa ("white dog"), originally referring to the Virginia opossum | |
| Potato (Solanum tuberosum) | nightshade | Taíno / Quechua | From Spanish patata, a hybrid of batata ("sweet potato") and papa ("potato") | |
| Protojuniperoxylon ischigualastianus † | conifer | Cacán | From the Ischigualasto Formation, where the holotype was collected, which itself means "place where the moon alights". | |
| Pseudananas | bromeliad | Tupi | The generic name derives from nanas ("pineapple") and Greek pseudos ("false"). | |
| Pseudochampsa ischigualastensis † | proterochampsid | Cacán | From the Ischigualasto Formation, where the holotype was collected, which itself means "place where the moon alights". | |
| Pudu mephistophiles (Northern pudu) | | | | |
| Pudu puda (Southern Pudu) | | | | |
| Punatherium | | | | |
| Puya | bromeliad | Mapudungun | From puya ("point") | |
| Quahog, hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) | clam | Algonquian language (probably Narragansett) | From poquaûhock or a cognate, the Algonquian name for the clam. | |
| Quetzal (Pharomachrus and Euptilotis neoxenus) | trogon | Nahuatl | From quetzalli ("large brilliant tail feather"), from the root quetz ("stand up"), via Spanish, originally referring specifically to the resplendent quetzal | |
| Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) | amaranth | Quechua | From kinwa / kinuwa | |
| Raccoon (procyon lotor) | procyonid | Powhatan | From aroughcun, arathkone, from Proto-Algonquian *ahrah-koon-em("one who rubs, scrubs and scratches with its hands"). | |
| Ramphastos toco (Toco toucan) | toucan | Guarani | Toco derives from tucá or tucán, the Guarani word for a toucan, perhaps meaning "bone-nose". A doublet of toucan. | |
| Salal (Gaultheria shallon) | heather | Lower Chinook | From sálal (the local name for the plant), via Chinook Jargon. | |
| Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia) | pome | Cree | From misaaskwatoomin ("saskatoon berry"). The town of Saskatoon is named after the plant. | |
| Scup (Stenotomus chrysops) | porgy | Narragansett | From mishcùp ("porgy"). The plural mishcùppaûog is the source of "porgy". | |
| Sequoioideae (sequoia, redwood) | conifers | Probably Cherokee | Probably named in honour of Sequoyah, the inventor of the Cherokee syllabary. | |
| Shastasaurus † | ichthyosaur | | | |
| Shonisaurus † | ichthyosaur | | | |
| Skunk (Mephitidae) | mustelid | Algonquian (probably Abenaki) | Probably from seganku, ultimately from Proto-Algonquian *šeka:kwa, from *šek- ("urinate") and *-a:kw ("fox") | |
| Solanum quitoense (naranjilla or lulo) | nightshade | Quechua | The specific name comes from Quito, from Kitu. Lulo is the Quechua name of the plant. | |
| Squash (Cucurbita) | gourd | Narragansett | From askutasquash ("eaten raw"), from askut ("green, raw") and asquash ("eaten") | |
| South American sapote / chupa-chupa (Quararibea cordata) | mallow | Nahuatl | The common name derives from tzapotl ("sapote fruit", probably originally referring to the black sapote) | |
| Tabasco pepper (Capsicum frutescens) | capsicum | Uncertain | From Tabasco State, whose name might derive from Nahuatl or Mayan | |
| Talenkauen | | | | |
| Tamandua | anteater | Tupi | From Taa ("ant") and mundeu ("trap") | |
| Tamarack or hackmatack (Larix laricina) | larch | Algonquian | The exact roots are not known. | |
| Tapirus | tapirs | Tupi | From tapi'ira, the Old Tupi name for Tapirus terrestris | |
| Taruca | | | | |
| Tayassu pecari (White-lipped peccary) | pig | Tupi | From tai wasu ("big tooth"), a Tupi name for the animal. The specific name is another Tupi name for the animal, from pé ("path"), caa ("wood"), and ri ("many"), because of the paths through the forest that the animal creates. | |
| Tayra (Eira barbara) | weasel | Tupi and Guarani | The common name is from the Tupi name of the animal, eîrara, via Spanish or Portuguese, while the generic name is from the (related) Guarani name of the animal, eira. | |
| Tehuelchesaurus † | sauropod | | Named in honor of the Tehuelche people | |
| Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) | bean | Uncertain | Perhaps from Tohono O'odham tʼpawi ("It's a bean") The name for a small bean was recorded in the 17th century, in the now extinct Eudeve language of northern Mexico, as tépar (accusative case, tépari). | |
| Terrapin (various in Testudines) | turtle | Algonquian | From torope ("diamondback terrapin"), subsequently generalised. | |
| Teushentherium † | Notohippid notoungulate | | Named in honor of the Teushen language. | |
| Tobacco (Nicotiana) | nightshade | Taíno? | From Spanish tabaco, perhaps from a Taíno word meaning "bundle of tobacco leaves" or "L-shaped pipe for smoking tobacco." | |
| Tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica and Physalis ixocarpa) | nightshade | Nahuatl | From tomatl ("swelling" / "fat") via Spanish | |
| Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) | nightshade | Nahuatl | From tomatl ("swelling" / "fat") via Spanish | |
| Tonnicinctus † | | | | |
| Torontoceros | | | | |
| Toucan barbet (Semnornis ramphastinus) | | | | |
| Traukutitan † | sauropod | | | |
| Tucumán amazon (Amazona tucumana) | parrot | Quechua | Named for the Tucumán Province, perhaps from yucumán ("origin of many rivers") or tucma ("the end of things"). | |
| Tuckahoe (Peltandra virginica) | arum | Powhatan | From tockawhoughe, the name of the edible root of the plant | . |
| Tupelo (Nyssa) | cornal | Muscogee | From ito ("tree") and opilwa ("swamp") | |
| Ubirajara jubatus † | | | The paper describing the holotype specimen was withdrawn in 2021, rendering this name a nomen nudum. | |
| Ullucus (Ulluco) | caryophyllal | Quechua | From ulluku, milluku ("Ullucus tuberosus") | |
| Ulmus okanaganensis | | | | |
| Unenlagia | | | | |
| Urumacotherium | | | | |
| Vicuña (Lama vicugna) | | | | |
| Vilca (Anadenanthera colubrina) | mimosa | Quechua | From willka ("sacred") | |
| Viscacha (Lagidium and Lagostimus) | rodent | Quechua | From wisk'acha, via Spanish | |
| Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) | scombrid | | | |
| Wahoo (Ulmus alata) | elm | Muscogee | From uhawhu | |
| Wapiti (Cervus canadensis) | | | | |
| White sapote (Casimiroa edulis) | citrus | Nahuatl | The common name derives from tzapotl ("sapote fruit", probably originally referring to the black sapote) | |
| Willinakaqe † | | | | |
| Wokas (Nuphar polysepala) | water-lily | Klamath-Modoc | From wokas, the Klamath name for the plant's seeds | |
| Woodchuck / groundhog (Marmota monax) | marmot | Algonquian (possibly Narragansett) | From wuchak ("fisher", misapplied) | |
| Xibalbaonyx † | | | | |
| Yacarerani † | | | | |
| Yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius) | daisy | Quechua | From yacón, the Quechua name of the plant | |
| Yelaphomte † | pterosaur | Allentiac | From yelap ("beast") and homtec ("air"), referring to the pneumatic skeleton and the flight capabilities of pterosaurs | |
| Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) | holly | Quechua and Guarani | From Spanish hierba ("herb"), a translation of the Guarani name ka'a and Quechua mati ("gourd", "cup"). The specific name refers to Paraguay, from Guarani paraguá ("feather crown") and y ("water"). | |
| Yopo (Anadenanthera peregrina) | mimosa | Quechua | | |
| Ypupiara | | | | |
| Yucca | asparagid | Taíno | From yuca, the name of the cassava, with which it was confused by Linnaeus | |
| Yukon Wild Horse (Equus lambei) | | | | |
| Yungavolucris | enantiornithine bird | Aymara/Quechua | From the Yungas forest, where it was found, ultimately from Aymara and Quechua yunka ("warm region of the Andes") and Latin volucris ("flyer") | |
| Yuruatherium | | | | |
| Zaedyus pichiy (pichi) | | | | |
| Zephyranthes atamasca (rain lily, atamasco-lily) | amaryllid | Powhatan? | Possibly from attamusca, the Powhatan name for the plant. | |
| Zupaysaurus | | | | |