Where does “cryptofauna” come from?

cryptofauna (English) comes from English Fauna, from Latin Faunus, from New Latin fauna, from English avifauna, from Latin avis, from Proto-Italic awis, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éwis — bird.

cryptofauna (English): The fauna that exist in protected or concealed...

Definitions

  1. The fauna that exist in protected or concealed...

Ancestry of “cryptofauna”, step by step

cryptofauna traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Fauna

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishFaunaThe goddess of animals, nature, spring and fertility; she is also the consort of Faunus
2LatinFaunusFaunus horned god of the forest, plains and fields
3New Latinfaunaanimals
4EnglishavifaunaThe birds, or all the kinds of birds, inhabiting...
5Latinavisa bird; omen, portent; dative/ablative plural of...
6Proto-Italicawisbird
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éwisbird

via English crypto

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcryptoA secret supporter or follower; Cryptography;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂éwis