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In biological taxonomy
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 ...
, a ' (plural: '; abbreviation: ' plural abbreviation: ') is a new species. The phrase is Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
, and is used after a binomial name that is being published for the first time. The equivalent for a new genus name is genus novum, and familia nova for a biological family.
An example is the species of miniature frog, ''Paedophryne amauensis
''Paedophryne amauensis'', also known as the New Guinea Amau frog, is a species of microhylid frog endemic to eastern Papua New Guinea. At in snout-to-vent length, it was once considered the world's smallest known vertebrate. (See also Ecolo ...
'', originally described as ''Paedophryne amauensis sp. nov.'' in PLOS ONE in 2012.
The term should not be confused with ', used when a previously named taxon is moved to a different genus or species, or its rank is changed.
See also
*Glossary of scientific naming
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. Many of the abbreviations are ...
* Species description
A species description is a formal scientific description of a newly encountered species, typically articulated through a scientific publication. Its purpose is to provide a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it diff ...
References
{{Reflist Botanical nomenclature Zoological nomenclature