Glossary

taxonomic

Of or relating to taxonomy.

Used in 197 species profiles

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Related terms

adaptive radiation
Speciation of a taxonomic group into several forms, each specialised to fill a previously vacant ecological niche, as exemplified by Rift Lake cichlids, for example.
classification
In taxonomy, the arrangement of organisms into taxonomic groups according to their degree of evolutionary relatedness.
extinct
Of a species or other taxonomic grouping, having no living members; no longer in existence.
family
Taxonomic rank below order and above genus. Contains one or more genera.
genetics
Branch of biology concerned with the study of heredity and variation of organisms; the genetic constitution of a single organism, species, or other taxonomic group.
genus
Taxonomic group into which a family is divided and which contains one or more species characterised by a shared trait or traits. The generic name is used, either alone or followed by one or two specific epithets, to form a binomen or trinomen.
homonym
Two or more names of identical spelling, or differing only in suffix, that have been applied to different members of the same taxonomic rank and of which only one can be valid at any given time.
incertae sedis
In zoological nomenclature, of uncertain taxonomic position.
kingdom
Taxonomic rank in the hierarchical classification of living organisms and natural objects. Either the highest rank or rank below domain, depending on the system being followed.
monophyletic
Used in reference to a taxonomic group containing all descendants of a single, often hypothetical, common ancestor, often characterised by one or more synapomorphies. A clade is a monophyletic group.
monotypic
Used in reference to a taxonomic group containing only a single member, e.g., a monotypic genus or family.
nominal taxon
A nomenclatural concept denoted by an available name used in an original description, and based, actually or potentially, upon its name-bearing type but having no defined taxonomic boundaries. Often used when the precise definition of a species or genus is unclear, such as when a name may refer to more than one taxon and is therefore in need of clarification.
patronym
In zoological nomenclature, a taxonomic name derived from the name of a person.
phylogeny
The evolutionary development and history of a species or other taxonomic group. May be based on morphology, molecular data, or both.
phylum
Taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class.
plesiomorphy
In cladistics, a character or trait shared by two or more taxonomic groups but derived from a remote or much earlier common ancestral form and therefore cannot be used to define a clade. Also known as an ancestral state and generally appears at the base level of a cladogram.
race
Genealogical line or lineage. Sometimes used as an infrasubspecific category, i.e., below the subspecies level, to refer to populations or individuals which are not given taxonomic names.
revision
In taxonomy, a paper or study concerned with changes, amendments or corrections to a particular taxonomic group.
sensu lato
Latin term meaning "in the wide sense". Used in conjunction with a taxonomic name to indicate that the name is used more inclusively than sanctioned by current practice
sensu stricto
Latin term meaning "in the strict sense". Used in conjunction with a taxonomic name to indicate exclusion of other names typically associated with it, or when referring to a taxon only in terms of its subordinate nominotypical taxon.
species
Taxonomic rank into which a genus is divided, but otherwise difficult to delineate precisely with a single definition satisfying all eventualities still lacking to date. There exist a number of concepts of which the most popular in vertebrate taxonomy include the biological species concept and phylogenetic species concept.
speciose
Containing a high number of species. Normally applied to a taxonomic group or specified geographical area.
subjective synonym
Any of two or more taxonomic names whose synonymy is a matter of individual opinion, i.e., they are based on multiple name-bearing types.
subspecies
Taxonomic rank below species, written in the form of a trinomen. Often applied to a geographically-separated population within a species that retains the capability to produce fertile offspring with other populations but may exhibit phenotypic differences.
symplesiomorphy
In cladistics, a character or trait shared by two or more taxonomic groups and derived from a remote or much earlier common ancestral form.
synapomorphy
In cladistics, a character or trait shared by two or more taxonomic groups and derived from a common ancestral form, whose ancestor in turn did not possess that trait.
synonym
In zoological nomenclature, any of two or more names of the same taxonomic rank used to denote the same taxon. Names referred to as synonyms are not usually valid in the current sense.
taxon
A taxonomic group or category of any rank, such as a species, genus family, or class.
taxoomy
Classification of organisms into groups in an ordered system based on natural relationships; the practice of arranging organisms in this fashion; carrying out classification.
type
Can be used to refer to any taxonomic group, the characteristics of which are used for defining related, higher or lower ranking groups. For example, the type of a nominal species is a specimen (type specimen), the type of a nominal genus is the nominal species (type species), and the type of a nominal family is the nominal genus (type genus).
zoological nomenclature
Taxonomic system of scientific names for zoological taxa and the provisions for the formation, treatment, and use of those names. See ICZN.

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