This is a list of terms and symbols used in scientific names for organisms, and in describing the names. For proper parts of the names themselves, see List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names. Note that many of the abbreviations are used with or without a stop.

Naming standards and taxonomic organizations and their codes and taxonomies

* ICTV –

International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) authorizes and organizes the taxonomic classification of and the nomenclatures for viruses. The ICTV has developed a universal taxonomic scheme for viruses, and thus has the means to ap ...

* ICSP – International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes ** formerly the ICSB – International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology ** publishes the ICNP – International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes *** formerly the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria (ICNB) or Bacteriological Code (BC) * ICZN – International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature ** publishes ''ICZN'' the '' International Code of Zoological Nomenclature'' or "ICZN Code" * IBC – International Botanical Congress ** publishes ''ICN'' the '' International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants'' *** formerly ''ICBN'' or the ''International Code of Botanical Nomenclature'' (current version the Shenzhen Code) ** also publishes ''ICNCP'' or the ''

International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants The ''International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants'' (ICNCP), is a guide to the rules and regulations for naming cultigens, plants whose origin or selection is primarily due to intentional human activity. It is also known as Cultivat ...

'' * IAPT – International Association for Plant Taxonomy ** publishes '' Taxon'' ** also publishes ''

Regnum Vegetabile The International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) is an organization established to promote an understanding of plant biodiversity, facilitate international communication of research between botanists, and oversee matters of uniformity and ...

'' which contains the IBC's ''ICN'', the '' Index Nominum Genericorum'', and the '' Index Herbariorum''

General terms

* clade,

cladistics Cladistics (; ) is an approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups (" clades") based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry. The evidence for hypothesized relationships is typically shared derived cha ...

* phylum, phylogeny * taxon, taxonomy; ''Taxon'' is a journal of the IAPT, where proposals are made * synonym : a name for a taxon different from the currently accepted name ** ''pro parte'' (abbreviation ''p. p.''; "for part" in Latin) ** senior synonym, (zoology) : the earliest (correctly published) name ** junior synonym, (zoology) : any later name ** homotypic synonym (botany) ** heterotypic synonym (botany) : (or taxonomic synonym) a synonym that comes into being when a taxon is reduced in status ("reduced to synonymy") and becomes part of a different taxon; the zoological equivalent is "subjective synonym" **

objective synonym The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...

(zoology) ** subjective synonym (zoology): ''see'' taxonomic synonym ** taxonomic synonym (botany): ''see'' taxonomic synonym * basionym or basyonym (botany), or

protonym In the scientific name of organisms, basionym or basyonym means the original name on which a new name is based; the author citation of the new name should include the authors of the basionym in parentheses. The term "basionym" is used in both botan ...

or original combination (zoology): original name on which the current name is based; in bacteriology "basonym" * ''combinatio nova'' (''comb. nov.'') : new combination; when a taxon has been given a new name, preserving one of the previous components * ''status novus'' (abbr. ''stat. nov.'') : new status; when a taxon has been given a new rank *

homonym In linguistics, homonyms are words which are homographs (words that share the same spelling, regardless of pronunciation), or homophones ( equivocal words, that share the same pronunciation, regardless of spelling), or both. Using this definiti ...

: names spelled identically, but, in some codes, names spelled similarly, as defined by the code **

senior homonym In biology, a homonym is a name for a taxon that is identical in spelling to another such name, that belongs to a different taxon. The rule in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is that the first such name to be published is the se ...

(zoology) : the first legitimate use of the name which generally takes priority **

junior homonym In biology, a homonym is a name for a taxon that is identical in spelling to another such name, that belongs to a different taxon. The rule in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is that the first such name to be published is the se ...

(zoology),

later homonym In biology, a homonym is a name for a taxon that is identical in spelling to another such name, that belongs to a different taxon. The rule in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is that the first such name to be published is the se ...

(botany) : a later and generally illegitimate use, though in some circumstances the later name is allowed to stand ** hemihomonym: a homonym across naming authorities that is permitted because any confusion is improbable ** parahomonym: names that are similar enough to be likely to be confused * isonym (botany) an identical name based on the same type, but published later * Principle of the First Reviser * Principle of Priority * Principle of Typification *

taxonomic authority In biology, taxonomy () is the scientific study of naming, defining ( circumscribing) and classifying groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics. Organisms are grouped into taxa (singular: taxon) and these groups are given ...

* binomial authority *

binomial nomenclature In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

(also "binominal") *

trinomial nomenclature In biology, trinomial nomenclature refers to names for taxa below the rank of species. These names have three parts. The usage is different in zoology and botany. In zoology In zoological nomenclature, a trinomen (), trinominal name, or ternar ...

(also "trinominal") * hybrid name (botany) : either two parent binomials, separated by a "×" (q.v.) or a given binomial, with or without an intercalated "×" * chresonym published usage of a name. **

orthochresonym In biodiversity informatics, a chresonym is the cited use of a taxon name, usually a species name, within a publication. The term is derived from the Greek χρῆσις ''chresis'' meaning "a use" and refers to published usage of a name. The tech ...

** heterochresonym * taxon (plural "taxa") **

wastebasket taxon Wastebasket taxon (also called a wastebin taxon, dustbin taxon or catch-all taxon) is a term used by some taxonomists to refer to a taxon that has the sole purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined ...

(also "wastebin taxon", "dustbin taxon" or "catch-all taxon") **

form taxon Form classification is the classification of organisms based on their morphology, which does not necessarily reflect their biological relationships. Form classification, generally restricted to palaeontology, reflects uncertainty; the goal of s ...

Lazarus taxon In paleontology, a Lazarus taxon (plural ''taxa'') is a taxon that disappears for one or more periods from the fossil record, only to appear again later. Likewise in conservation biology and ecology, it can refer to species or populations tha ...

Elvis taxon In paleontology, an Elvis taxon (plural ''Elvis taxa'') is a taxon that has been misidentified as having re-emerged in the fossil record after a period of presumed extinction, but is not actually a descendant of the original taxon, instead having de ...

sister taxon In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and ...

zombie taxon In paleontology, a zombie taxon (plural ''zombie taxa'') or the zombie effect refers to a fossil that was washed out of sediments and re-deposited in rocks and/or sediments millions of years younger. That basic mistake in the interpretation of th ...

** node-based taxon **

parataxon Form classification is the classification of organisms based on their morphology, which does not necessarily reflect their biological relationships. Form classification, generally restricted to palaeontology, reflects uncertainty; the goal of s ...

ichnotaxon An ichnotaxon (plural ichnotaxa) is "a taxon based on the fossilized work of an organism", i.e. the non-human equivalent of an artifact. ''Ichnotaxa'' comes from the Greek ίχνος, ''ichnos'' meaning ''track'' and ταξις, ''taxis'' meaning ...

(ichnogenus (igen.), ichnospecies (isp.), etc.) : a taxon (genus, species, etc.) only known by its work, e.g. footprints, nests, or bite marks **

ootaxon Egg fossils are the fossilized remains of eggs laid by ancient animals. As evidence of the physiological processes of an animal, egg fossils are considered a type of trace fossil. Under rare circumstances a fossil egg may preserve the remains of ...

(oospecies, etc.) : a taxon known from fossil eggs ** sciotaxon a taxon known from partial evidence but believed to be identical to an orthotaxon *

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of conver ...

taxon * monophyletic taxon : a taxon consisting of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants; a clade * paraphyletic taxon *

species complex In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

: a group of closely related species very similar in appearance, generally constituting a monophyletic taxon * species aggregate or aggregate species : a grouping of closely related species that are treated like a single species for practical purposes *

alliance An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

: a group of species or genera that have at some time been considered provisionally related *

conspecific Biological specificity is the tendency of a characteristic such as a behavior or a biochemical variation to occur in a particular species. Biochemist Linus Pauling stated that "Biological specificity is the set of characteristics of living organis ...

: of the same species; e. g. of two taxa previously thought to be different species * congeners : items of the same genus *

circumscription Circumscription may refer to: *Circumscribed circle * Circumscription (logic) *Circumscription (taxonomy) *Circumscription theory, a theory about the origins of the political state in the history of human evolution proposed by the American anthrop ...

: the limits of a taxon as made evident by its recognized constituency; a taxon may accordingly be circumscribed differently by different authorities if they recognize different constituents * ''

sensu ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular c ...

'' ("sense" in Latin) : as in ' (''s. s.'') (in the strict sense), ' (in a broad sense), etc.; see ''

'' for more variants and details * ''secundum'' ("following" in Latin) : e. g. "''secundum'' Smith" *

form classification Form classification is the classification of organisms based on their morphology, which does not necessarily reflect their biological relationships. Form classification, generally restricted to palaeontology, reflects uncertainty; the goal of s ...

Types

* Type *

Type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearing type of a nominal ...

* Type series *

Type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specime ...

Type specimen In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes th ...

** Allotype : a designated type of opposite sex to the

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of sever ...

Clonotype In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...

Epitype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of several ...

: an additional or clarifying type ** Ergatotype **

Hapantotype In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...

Holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of sever ...

** Isotype : a type identical to the

** Isolectotype : **

Lectotype In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...

a type specimen selected from a group of syntypes **

Name-bearing type Under the ''International Code of Zoological Nomenclature'' (''Code''), the name-bearing type is the biological type that determines the application of a name. Each animal taxon regulated by the ''Code'' at least potentially has a name-bearing type. ...

Neotype In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...

: a replacement for the

** Paralectotype : a remaining syntype once the lectotype and any isolectotypes are excluded (bot.) **

Paratype In zoology and botany, a paratype is a specimen of an organism that helps define what the scientific name of a species and other taxon actually represents, but it is not the holotype (and in botany is also neither an isotype nor a syntype). O ...

: a member of a type series apart from the

or isotype (zoology); a

syntype In biological nomenclature, a syntype is any one of two or more biological types that is listed in a description of a taxon where no holotype was designated. Precise definitions of this and related terms for types have been established as part of ...

that is not a member of the type series (botany) **

Syntype In biological nomenclature, a syntype is any one of two or more biological types that is listed in a description of a taxon where no holotype was designated. Precise definitions of this and related terms for types have been established as part of ...

: a specimen cited in the original description of the taxon (botany) * Type locality or location: where the type specimen was found *

Type host In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...

: in parasitology, the host species from which the type specimen was recovered

Rank names

The main ranks are

kingdom Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...

(''regnum''), phylum or division (''divisio''), class (''classis''), order (''ordo''), family (''familia''),

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

and

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

. The ranks of

section Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...

and

series Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used in ...

are also used in botany for groups within genera, while

is used in zoology for a division of an order. Further levels in the hierarchy can be made by the addition of prefixes such as sub-, super-, infra-, and so on. Divisions such as "morph", "form", "variety", "strain", "breed", "

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...

", hybrid (nothospecies) and "

landrace A landrace is a domesticated, locally adapted, often traditional variety of a species of animal or plant that has developed over time, through adaptation to its natural and cultural environment of agriculture and pastoralism, and due to isolatio ...

" are used to describe various sub-specific groups in different fields. It is possible for a clade to be unranked, for example Psoroptidia (Yunker, 1955) and the

SAR supergroup The SAR supergroup, also just SAR or Harosa, is a clade that includes stramenopiles ( heterokonts), alveolates, and Rhizaria. The name is an acronym derived from the first letters of each of these clades; it has been alternatively spelled "RAS". ...

. Sometimes a rank is described as ''clade'' where the traditional hierarchy cannot accommodate them..

Latin descriptions of names or taxa

Note that in zoology the English descriptions, such as "conserved name", for example, are acceptable and generally used. These descriptions can be classified between accepted names (''nom. cons., nom. nov., nom. prot.'') and unaccepted combinations for different reasons (''nom. err., nom. illeg., nom. nud., nom. rej., nom. supp., nom. van.''), with some cases in between regarding the use (''nom. dub.'': used but not fully accepted; ''nom. obl.'': accepted but not fully used, so it yields precedence to a ''nom. prot''). * ''

Candidatus In prokaryote nomenclature, ''Candidatus'' (Latin for candidate of Roman office) is used to name prokaryotic phyla that are well characterized but yet-uncultured. Contemporary sequencing approaches, such as 16S sequencing or metagenomics, provide m ...

'' (''Ca.'') - a taxon proposed from incomplete information, such as uncultured bacteria known from metagenomics * ''ex errore'' – made in error * ''

incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...

'' – of uncertain placement * ''nomen alternativum'' (''nom. alt.''; plural: ''nomina alternativa'') – an alternative name, as for certain plant families * '' nomen conservandum'' (''nom. cons.''; plural: ''nomina conservanda'') – a conserved name * '' nomen dubium'' (''nom. dub.''; plural: ''nomina dubia'') (zoo. bact. bot.(informal)) – a name of questionable application ** ''

nomen ambiguum In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Zoology In case of a ''nomen dubium'' it may be impossible to determine whether a s ...

'' (plural: ''nomina ambigua''), (bot.) a name that has been used with more than one meaning ** '' nomen confusum'' (plural: ''nomina confusa''), (bact.) a name based on a mixed bacterial culture ** '' nomen perplexum'' (plural: ''nomina perplexa''), a name confusingly similar to another name or names ** '' nomen periculosum'' (plural: ''nomina periculosa''), an name which can lead to dangerous outcomes, through confusion * ''nomen erratum'' (''nom. err.''; plural: ''nomina errata'') - a name given in error * ''

nomen illegitimum ''Nomen illegitimum'' (Latin for illegitimate name) is a technical term, used mainly in botany. It is usually abbreviated as ''nom. illeg.'' Although the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants uses Latin terms for other ki ...

'' (''nom. illeg.''; plural: ''nomina illegitima'') – an illegitimate name * '' nomen invalidum'' ('' nom. inval.''; plural: ''nomina invalida'') – an invalid name * ''nomen manuscriptum'' - a name that appears in a manuscript * ''nomen monstrositatum'' (''nom. monstr.'') – a name based on a monstrosity (

fasciation Fasciation (pronounced , from the Latin root meaning "band" or "stripe"), also known as cresting, is a relatively rare condition of abnormal growth in vascular plants in which the apical meristem (growing tip), which normally is concentrated a ...

, phyllody or similar deformities) * '' nomen novum'' (''nom. nov.''; plural: ''nomina nova'') – a replacement name * '' nomen nudum'' (''nom. nud.''; plural: ''nomina nuda'') – a name published without an accompanying description * '' nomen oblitum'' (''nom. obl.''; plural: ''nomina oblita'') – a name which has been overlooked (literally, forgotten) and is no longer valid * ''

nomen protectum In zoological nomenclature, a ''nomen oblitum'' (plural: ''nomina oblita''; Latin for "forgotten name") is a disused scientific name which has been declared to be obsolete (figuratively 'forgotten') in favour of another 'protected' name. In its p ...

'' (''nom. prot.''; plural: ''nomina protecta'') – a name granted protection * '' nomen rejiciendum'' (''nom. rej.''; plural: ''nomina rejicienda'') – a name that has been rejected and cannot be used * ''nomen suppressum'' (''nom. supp.''; plural: ''nomina suppressa'') – a name that has been suppressed and cannot be used * ''nomen vanum'' (plural: ''nomina vana'') - not a useful term, has been used to mean either a ''nomen dubium'' (see above in this list), or an invalid change in spelling, better called an unjustified emendationOn the use of the term ''nomen vanum'' in taxonomy. John Chorn and Kenneth N. Whetstone. Museum of Natural History, Kansas, Lawrence 66045. Journal of Paleontology vol 52 no. 2, March 1978 * '' species inquirenda'', a species of doubtful identity requiring further investigation

Latin abbreviations

* ''

cf. The abbreviation ''cf.'' (short for the la, confer/conferatur, both meaning "compare") is used in writing to refer the reader to other material to make a comparison with the topic being discussed. Style guides recommend that ''cf.'' be used onl ...

'' : ''confer''; literally "compare", indicates approximate placement * ''f.'' : ''forma''; form * ''nothovar.'' : ''nothovarietas''; hybrid variety * ''nob.'' : ''nobis''): by us, indicates the writers are the authority of a scientific name * ''p. p.'' : ''pro parte''; "for part" * ''pro syn.'' : ''pro synonymo''; "as synonym" * ''sensu auct.'' : ''sensu auctorum''; in the sense of certain authors (generally referring to an invalid usage) * ''s.l.'' : ''

sensu lato ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular c ...

''; in the broad (loose) sense * ''sp.'' (plural ''spp.'') : ''

'' (identical in English) * '' sp. nov.'' (plural ''spp. nov.'') : '' species nova'' (''species novae'') : new species (singular) * ''s.s.'' : '' sensu stricto''; in the strict (narrow or precise) sense * ''ssp.'' (plural ''sspp.'' or ''subspp'') : '' subspecies'' (identical in English) * ''subf.'' : ''subforma''; subform * ''subsp.'' (plural ''subspp.'') : '' subspecies'' (identical in English) * ''subvar.'' : ''subvarietas''; subvariety * ''var.'' : ''varietas'';

variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

English abbreviations

* ''bot.'' - botany * ''zoo.'' - zoology

Symbols

* × : cross; indicates a hybrid * † : extinct * + : graft or chimera; indicates a graft hybrid

References

{{Use dmy dates, date=May 2020 Naming Glossaries of botany scientific naming