Bill, it's just to be consistent with the species names endings. It has never been really decided if it should be feminine or neuter, just assumed? feminine on the basis that Regan meant gramme (line) and a genus name ending in a latinized Greek word gets the gender of the Latin termination (gramme becomes gramma, feminine ending), which I think is what Bob said as well. On the other hand gramma could mean character and that would make the gender neuter since gramma is neuter (and not latinized). So, in short, and as _I_ understand it, 1: gramma from gramme (line), latinized Greek word, feminine 2: gramma from gramma (character), Greek word not latinized, neuter. So it comes down to the rules of nomenclature and how to interpret what Regan meant. If anyone knows better (and I'm sure someone does) please correct this semi-guessing, non-latin-knowledgable Apisto-fanatic. It has no effect other than changing the ending of the species-names, bitaeniata becomes bitaeniatum, juruensis becomes juruense and so on. I hope this clarified things (even if only a little). Regards Fredrik Ljungberg - -- Fredrik.Ljungberg@saab.se, Linkoping, Sweden voice +46 13 18 54 60, fax +46 13 18 33 63