Writer Requests Help

[Dawn, Douglas]

The translations I found for:

Sword: _spatha_
to Gild:  _aurare_, _deaurare_
Gold:  _aurum_

I don't know how the past participle of gild (gilded, gilt or golden) is
formed, probably something like _deaurus_ or _aurus_.  Hope the
following suggestions help you out, taken in combination with others'.
Also put me on your list for an autographed copy of your novel!

Doug Dawn
Monterrey, Mexico
stelenes at pobox.com

The difficulty you may have is that there are a limited number of
genera, which leaves you only the species name to select for your
butterfly's name.  The only three options I see to get the two words you
want in the name (golden, sword) would be:

1.   Use a genus of sword-tails (Papilionidae-swallowtail-family) and
name the butterfly species golden.  Note:  Perhaps someone else can
suggest a native genus to your temperate Chinese area, if one exists.
Ex. _Protographium_deaurus_ [check: deaurus correct adjective formation
from deaurare?] (Protographium genus occurs in the new world).

2.  Use the expanded Genus species subspecies trinomial name for your
butterfly, roughly translated to _Papilio_sword_golden_ or something
similar.  Might be awkward and might not be, depending on how you feel-
a subspecies indicates that other distinct species populations exist
elsewhere and since yours is invented you may want it to be unique and
very localized.  Note that subspecies generally cannot overlap in
ranges, so another distinct population would have to exist somewhere not
contiguous to your subspecies' range.  Ex. _Papilio_spatha_deaurus_

3.  Combine the two words for golden and sword into a compound word for
the species name.  I would guess that the practice of making compound
species names is frowned upon by some experts in nomenclature (expert I
definitely am NOT), although he who discovers can name it what he wants.
 _Papilio _spathaurus_

4.  Name your species after something that evokes the thought of a
golden sword.  Are there any Chinese legends with an "excaliber"
counterpart?  If not, did a foreigner name the butterfly (most likely in
that time) after something back home?  Ex. _Papilio_excaliberi_

Good luck...
 ----------
>>>From: igorornot at aol.com
>>>To: not-for-mail at audr.ey02.news.aol.com
>>>Subject: Writer Requests Help
>>>Date: Lunes 1 de Septiembre de 1997 3:11PM
>>>
>>>All,
>>>
>>>I am a historical fiction writer.  Central to the story I'm currently
>>>developing is a made-up Lepidoptera, common name 'Golden Sword'.  The
>>>nature of the story has it a swallowtail native to temperate coastal China
>>>transplanted to northern California  in the 1880's.  Problem: I need a
>>>latin name that means 'Golden Sword' or a close equivalent.  Any help is
>>>greatly appreciated.
>>>
>>>Igorornot at aol.com
>>>