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Genus (/ ˈ dʒ iː n ə s /; pl.: genera / ˈ dʒ ɛ n ər ə /) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. [1] In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.
The basic ranks are species and genus. When an organism is given a species name it is assigned to a genus, and the genus name is part of the species name. The species name is also called a binomial, that is, a two-term name. For example, the zoological name for the human species is Homo sapiens. This is usually italicized in print or underlined ...
The first part of the name – the generic name – identifies the genus to which the species belongs, whereas the second part – the specific name or specific epithet – distinguishes the species within the genus. For example, modern humans belong to the genus Homo and within this genus to the species Homo sapiens.
The specific name must adhere to certain conventions of Latin grammar. The specific name can be formed as: A noun in apposition to the genus name, for example, the scientific name of the lion, Panthera leo. In these cases, the word for the genus and the word for the species do not necessarily have to agree in gender.
Language English Examples Search for titles containing the word or using the prefix: pachy-G παχύς (pakhús) thick, stout: Pachycephalosaurus: palaemon: G Παλαίμων (Palaímōn) Palaemon, a sea god whose name means "wrestler" Palaemon, crustacean genus; chequered skipper, Carterocephalus palaemon
Plants of the World is also used for the family and order classification for each genus. The second column gives a meaning or derivation of the word, such as a language of origin. The second column gives a meaning or derivation of the word, such as a language of origin.
The most commonly accepted definition is the polyphasic species definition, which takes into account both phenotypic and genetic differences. [90] However, a quicker diagnostic ad hoc threshold to separate species is less than 70% DNA–DNA hybridisation, [ 91 ] which corresponds to less than 97% 16S DNA sequence identity. [ 92 ]
Above the rank of genus, binomial nomenclature and classification are partly independent; for example, a species retains its binomial name if it is moved from one family to another or from one order to another, unless it better fits a different genus in the same or different family, or it is split from its old genus and placed in a newly ...