Descriptor Terms (feature Types)
| Feature | Description | Designation |
|---|---|---|
| Albedo feature | An area which shows a contrast in brightness or darkness (albedo) with adjacent areas. This term is implicit. | AL |
| Arcus, arcūs | Arc: curved feature | AR |
| Astrum, astra | Radial-patterned features on Venus | AS |
| Catena, catenae | A chain of craters e.g. Enki Catena. | CA |
| Cavus, cavi | Hollows, irregular steep-sided depressions usually in arrays or clusters | CB |
| Chaos | A distinctive area of broken or jumbled terrain e.g. Iani Chaos. | CH |
| Chasma, chasmata | Deep, elongated, steep-sided depression e.g. Eos Chasma. | CM |
| Colles | A collection of small hills or knobs. | CO |
| Corona, coronae | An oval feature. Used only on Venus and Miranda. | CR |
| Crater, craters | A circular depression likely created by impact event. This term is implicit. | AA |
| Dorsum, dorsa | Ridge, sometimes called a wrinkle ridge e.g. Dorsum Buckland. | DO |
| Eruptive center | An active volcano on Io. This term is implicit. | ER |
| Facula, faculae | Bright spot | FA |
| Farrum, farra | Pancake-like structure, or a row of such structures | FR |
| Flexus, flexūs | Very low curvilinear ridge with a scalloped pattern | FE |
| Fluctus, fluctūs | Terrain covered by outflow from a volcano. | FL |
| Flumen, flumina | Channel on Titan that might carry liquid | FM |
| Fossa, fossae | Long, narrow, shallow depression | FO |
| Insula, insulae | Island (islands), an isolated land area (or group of such areas) surrounded by, or nearly surrounded by, a liquid area (sea or lake). The only feature with this designation is Mayda Insula. | IN |
| Labes, labēs | Landslide debris. Used only on Mars. | LA |
| Labyrinthus, labyrinthi | Complex of intersecting valleys or ridges. | LB |
| Lacus | A "lake" or small plain. Used on the Moon, Mars and Titan. | LC |
| Landing site name | Lunar features at or near Apollo landing sites | LF |
| Large ringed feature | Cryptic ringed features | LG |
| Lenticula, lenticulae | Small dark spots on Europa | LE |
| Linea, lineae | Dark or bright elongate marking, may be curved or straight | LI |
| Macula, maculae | Dark spot, may be irregular | MA |
| Mare, maria | A "sea" or large circular plain e.g. Mare Erythraeum. Used on the Moon, Mars and Titan. | ME |
| Mensa, mensae | A flat-topped prominence with cliff-like edges, i.e. a mesa. | MN |
| Mons, montes | Mons refers to a mountain. Montes refers to a mountain range. | MO |
| Oceanus | Very large dark area. Used only on the Moon. | OC |
| Palus, paludes | "Swamp"; small plain. Used on the Moon and Mars. | PA |
| Patera, paterae | Irregular crater, or a complex one with scalloped edges e.g. Ah Peku Patera. Usually refers to the dish-shaped depression atop a volcano. | PE |
| Planitia, planitiae | Low plain e.g. Amazonis Planitia. | PL |
| Planum, plana | A plateau or high plain e.g. Planum Boreum. | PM |
| Plume | A cryovolcanic feature on Triton. This term is currently unused. | PU |
| Promontorium, promontoria | "Cape"; headland. Used only on the Moon. | PR |
| Regio, regiones | Large area marked by reflectivity or color distinctions from adjacent areas, or a broad geographic region | RE |
| Reticulum, reticula | reticular (netlike) pattern on Venus | RT |
| Rima, rimae | Fissure. Used only on the Moon. | RI |
| Rupes, rupēes | Scarp | RU |
| Satellite feature | A feature that shares the name of an associated feature, for example Hertzsprung D. | SF |
| Scopulus, scopuli | Lobate or irregular scarp | SC |
| Sinus | "Bay"; small plain e.g. Sinus Meridiani. | SI |
| Sulcus, sulci | Subparallel furrows and ridges | SU |
| Terra, terrae | Extensive land mass e.g. Arabia Terra. | TA |
| Tessera, tesserae | An area of tile-like, polygonal terrain. This term is used only on Venus. | TE |
| Tholus, tholi | Small domical mountain or hill e.g. Hecates Tholus. | TH |
| Undae | A field of dunes. | UN |
| Vallis, valles | A valley e.g. Valles Marineris. | VA |
| Vastitas, vastitates | An extensive plain. The only feature with this designation is Vastitas Borealis. | VS |
| Virga, virgae | A streak or stripe of color | VI |
Read more about this topic: Planetary Nomenclature
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—Baruch (Benedict)
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