combining form of L. testāceus, used a. as in Testaceography, descriptive testaceology (Webster, 1828); Testaceology, the zoology of the testaceous animals; hence Testaceological a. rare; Testaceo-theology, natural theology as illustrated by the study of testaceous animals. b. in sense ‘of brick-red color,’ as in Testaceo-fuscous, Testaceo-piceous, etc. adjs.: see the second elements.
1803. Maton, in Trans. Linn. Soc., VII. 119 (heading). An Historical Account of Testaceological Writers. Ibid., 121. Aristotle … seems to have been also the first writer, and the inventor of method, in Testaceology.
1755. trans. Pontoppidan’s Nat. Hist. Norway, Pref. 7. That circumstantial examination of every part which hath been undertaken and … executed by Fabricius, in his pyro- and hydro-theology,… Lesser, in his litho- and testaceo-theology.
b. 1847. J. Hardy, in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club, II. v. 247. Legs testaceo-fuscous. Ibid., 256. The first joint testaceous, the rest testacco-piceous.
