{{Short description|none}} [[File:Species plantarum 001.jpg|thumb|Linnaeus' ''[[Species Plantarum]]'' (1753)]] This is a list of terms and symbols used in [[scientific name]]s 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 used with or without a [[full stop|stop]].

==Naming standards and taxonomic organizations and their codes and taxonomies== * ICTV – [[International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses]] * 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) *** ''Chapter F'' of this Code covers sections pertaining only to [[Fungi]] and can be further revised by the Fungal Nomenclature Session of an International Mycological Congress (IMC). Chapter F was revised as a result of decisions approved on 21 July 2018 by the closing plenary session of the 11th IMC, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The resulting San Juan Chapter F was published in the journal [[International Mycological Association|IMA Fungus]] on 27 December 2019 as an open-access article. The San Juan Chapter F supersedes Chapter F of the Shenzhen Code. ** also publishes ''ICNCP'' or the ''[[International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants]]'' * IAPT – [[International Association for Plant Taxonomy]] ** publishes ''[[Taxon (journal)|Taxon]]'' ** also publishes ''[[Regnum Vegetabile]]'' which contains the IBC's ''ICN'', the ''Index Nominum Genericorum'', and the ''[[Index Herbariorum]]''

==General terms== <!-- since this is a glossary, avoid abbreviations such as zoo., bot. --> * [[clade]], [[cladistics]] * [[phylum]], [[phylogeny]] * [[taxon]], [[Taxonomy (biology)|taxonomy]]; ''Taxon'' is a journal of the IAPT, where proposals are made * [[Synonym (taxonomy)|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]] (zoology) ** subjective synonym (zoology): ''see'' heterotypic synonym ** taxonomic synonym (botany): ''see'' heterotypic synonym * [[basionym]] or basyonym (botany), or [[protonym]] 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 (biology)|homonym]]: names spelled identically, but, in some codes, names spelled similarly, as defined by the code ** [[senior homonym]] (zoology): the first legitimate use of the name which generally takes priority ** [[junior homonym]] (zoology), [[later homonym]] (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 * [[tautonym]], a repeated name, for example ''[[Bubo bubo]]'', ''[[Lutra lutra]]''. Permitted in zoology, but not in botany. * [[principle of the First Reviser|principle of the first reviser]] * [[principle of priority]] * [[principle of typification]] * [[taxonomic authority]] * [[binomial authority]] * [[binomial nomenclature]] (also "binominal") * [[trinomial nomenclature]] (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 ** [[heterochresonym]] ** [[orthochresonym]] * [[taxon]] (plural "taxa") ** [[wastebasket taxon]] (also "wastebin taxon", "dustbin taxon" or "catch-all taxon") ** [[Elvis taxon]] ** [[form taxon]] ** [[ichnotaxon]] (ichnogenus (igen.), ichnospecies (isp.), etc.): a taxon (genus, species, etc.) only known by its work, e.g. footprints, nests, or bite marks ** [[Lazarus taxon]] ** [[node-based taxon]] ** [[ootaxon]] (oospecies, etc.): a taxon known from fossil eggs ** [[parataxon]] ** [[sciotaxon]]: a taxon known from partial evidence but believed to be identical to an [[orthotaxon]] ** [[sister taxon]] ** [[zombie taxon]] * [[polyphyletic]] taxon * [[monophyletic]] taxon: a taxon consisting of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants; a [[clade]] * [[paraphyletic]] taxon * [[species complex]]: 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 (taxonomy)|alliance]]: a group of species or genera that have at some time been considered provisionally related * [[conspecific]]: of the same species; e. g. of two taxa previously thought to be different species * [[Congener (biology)|congener]]s: items of the same genus * [[Circumscription (taxonomy)|circumscription]]: 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]]'' ("sense" in Latin): as in ''{{Lang|la|sensu stricto}}'' (''s. s.'') (in the strict sense), ''{{Lang|la|sensu lato}}'' (in a broad sense), etc.; see ''[[sensu]]'' for more variants and details * ''secundum'' ("following" in Latin): e. g. "''secundum'' Smith" * [[form classification]]

==Types== * [[Type (biology)|Type]] * [[Type genus]] * [[Type series]] * [[Type species]] * [[Type specimen]] ** [[Allotype (nomenclature)|Allotype]]: a designated type of opposite sex to the [[holotype]] ** [[Clonotype]] ** [[Epitype]]: an additional or clarifying [[Type (biology)|type]] ** [[Ergatotype]] ** [[Hapantotype]] ** [[Holotype]] ** [[Iconotype]]: a type that is a picture ** [[Isotype (biology)|Isotype]]: a type identical to the [[holotype]] ** [[Isolectotype]]: ** [[Lectotype]] a type specimen selected from a group of syntypes ** [[Name-bearing type]] ** [[Neotype]]: a replacement for the [[holotype]] ** [[Paralectotype]]: a remaining syntype once the lectotype and any isolectotypes are excluded (botany) ** [[Paratype]]: a member of a [[type series]] apart from the [[holotype]] or [[Isotype (biology)|isotype (zoology)]]; a [[syntype]] that is not a member of the [[type series]] (botany) ** [[Syntype]]: a specimen cited in the original description of the taxon (botany) * [[Type locality (biology)|Type locality]] or location: where the type specimen was found * [[Type host]]: in parasitology, the host species from which the type specimen was recovered

==Rank names== {{Main article|Taxonomic rank}} The main ranks are [[kingdom (biology)|kingdom]] (''regnum''), [[phylum]] or division (''divisio''), [[class (biology)|class]] (''classis''), [[order (biology)|order]] (''ordo''), [[Family (taxonomy)|family]] (''familia''), [[genus]] and [[species]]. The ranks of [[section (botany)|section]] and [[series (botany)|series]] are also used in botany for groups within genera, while [[section (zoology)|section]] 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]]", [[hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] (nothospecies) and "[[landrace]]" 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]]. Sometimes a rank is described as ''clade'' where the traditional hierarchy cannot accommodate it.

==Latin descriptions of names or taxa== 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]]'' (''Ca.'') – a taxon proposed from incomplete information, such as uncultured bacteria known from metagenomics * ''ex errore'' – made in error * ''[[incertae sedis]]'' – of uncertain placement * ''nomen alternativum'' (''nom. alt.''; plural: ''nomina alternativa'') – an alternative name, [[wikt:-aceae#Usage notes|as for certain plant families]] * ''nomen confusum'' (''nom. conf.''), a name that is confused due to its description making it difficult to select a type to base the concept upon. It is no longer used in the botanical code and is found less often as such names are rejected.<ref name="Beentje 2010" /> * ''[[Conserved name|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<ref>{{Cite journal|title=''Nomen Dubium'' vs. ''Nomen Vanum''|author=Alvaro Mones|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|volume=9|issue=2|date=30 June 1989|pages=232–234|doi=10.1080/02724634.1989.10011757|bibcode=1989JVPal...9..232M }}</ref> ** ''[[Nomen dubium#in-bacteriology|nomen ambiguum]]'' (plural: ''nomina ambigua''), (bot.) a name that has been used with more than one meaning ** ''[[Nomen dubium#in-bacteriology|nomen confusum]]'' (plural: ''nomina confusa''), (bact.) a name based on a mixed bacterial culture ** ''[[Nomen dubium#in-bacteriology|nomen perplexum]]'' (plural: ''nomina perplexa''), a name confusingly similar to another name or names ** ''[[Nomen dubium#in-bacteriology|nomen periculosum]]'' (plural: ''nomina periculosa''), a name which can lead to dangerous outcomes, through confusion * ''nomen erratum'' (''nom. err.''; plural: ''nomina errata'') – a name given in error * ''[[nomen illegitimum]]'' (''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]], [[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 oblitum|nomen protectum]]'' (''nom. prot.''; plural: ''nomina protecta'') – a name granted protection * ''[[Conserved name|nomen rejiciendum]]'' (''nom. rej.''; plural: ''nomina rejicienda'') – a name that has been rejected and cannot be used * ''[[nomen subnudum]]'' (''nom. subnud.'';<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jacobson |first1=Arthur Lee |title=North American Landscape Trees |date=1 February 1996 |publisher=Ten Speed Press |location=Berkeley, California |isbn=978-0-89815-823-6 |page=xx |url=https://archive.org/details/northamericanlan0000arth |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> plural ''nomina subnuda'') – A species that was published with a description, but not detailed enough to describe it. Similar to nomen nudum.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Baranov |first1=Andreĭ |title=Basic Latin for Plant Taxonomists |date=1971 |publisher=J. Cramer |location=Lehre [Liechtenstein] |isbn=978-3-7682-0727-0 |page=144 |url=https://archive.org/details/basiclatinforpla0000bara |access-date=28 October 2025}}</ref> * ''nomen superfluum'' (''nom. superfl.''; plural: ''nomina superflua'' ) - "superfluous name"<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/avsc.12491|title=International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature. 4th edition|first1=Jean-Paul|last1=Theurillat|first2=Wolfgang|last2=Willner|first3=Federico|last3=Fernández-González|first4=Helga|last4=Bültmann|first5=Andraž|last5=Čarni|first6=Daniela|last6=Gigante|first7=Ladislav|last7=Mucina|first8=Heinrich|last8=Weber|date=30 August 2021|journal=Applied Vegetation Science|volume=24|issue=1|article-number=e12491|via=Wiley Online Library|doi=10.1111/avsc.12491 |bibcode=2021AppVS..24E2491T }}</ref> * ''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 emendation<ref>On 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</ref> * ''[[nomina circumscribentia]]'', a name derived from its circumscription * ''[[partim]]'', indicates that a taxon was split and contains only a part of the original entity.<ref name="partim">{{cite web |title=Glossary |url=https://www.habitas.org.uk/invertebrateireland/glossary.html#glosP |website=InvertebrateIreland Online |publisher=National Museums of Northern Ireland |access-date=2 August 2024 |language=en |date=2006}}</ref> * ''sphalmate'' (''sphalm.''), erroneously, by mistake<ref name="Beentje 2010">{{Cite book |last1=Beentje |first1=Henk J. |author-link1=Henk Jaap Beentje |date=2010 |title=The Kew Plant Glossary: An Illustrated Dictionary of Plant Terms |url=https://archive.org/details/kewplantglossary0000been |url-access=registration |others=Illustrated by Juliet Williamson |location=Kew, England |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens |pages=3–4 |isbn=978-1-84246-422-9 |oclc=464589004 |access-date=13 February 2026}}</ref> * ''[[species inquirenda]]'', a species of doubtful identity requiring further investigation

==Latin abbreviations== ===Common Latin abbreviations=== <!-- * ''auct.'' ({{lang|la|[[auctorum]]}}): 'of the authors'; indicates that a name is used in the sense of subsequent authors, and not in the sense of the original author * ''Ca.'' ({{lang|la|[[candidatus]]}}): 'candidate'; for candidate names of organisms that have not been completely accepted * ''ex.'' (plural ''exx.'') ({{lang|la|exemplar}}): 'example'; an example or specimen * ''in coll.'' ({{lang|la|in collectionem}}): 'in the collection'; often followed by the name of a collection or museum * ''indet.'' ({{lang|la|indeterminans}}): 'indeterminate'; undetermined, unidentified * ''leg.'' ({{lang|la|legit}}): 'he or she collected'; often followed by the name of the collector -->

* ''[[cf.]]'': {{lang|la|confer}}; literally 'compare', indicates approximate placement * ''f.'': {{lang|la|forma}}; '[[Form (botany)|form]]' (''f.d.'': forma domestica) * ''nothovar.'': {{lang|la|nothovarietas}}; 'bastard variety'; a [[Hybrid (biology)#In plants|hybrid]] [[Variety (botany)|variety]] * ''nob.'': {{lang|la|nobis}}: 'by us'; indicates the writers are/writer is the authority of a scientific name * ''p.p.'': {{lang|la|pro parte}}; 'for part' * ''pro syn.'': {{lang|la|pro synonymo}}; 'as synonym' * ''sensu auct.'': {{lang|la|sensu auctorum}}; 'in the sense of the [original] author[s]'; generally referring to an invalid usage * ''s.l.'': {{lang|la|[[sensu lato]]}}; 'in the broad/loose sense' * ''sp.'' (plural ''spp.''): {{lang|la|[[species]]}} (identical in English) * '' sp. nov.'' (plural ''spp. nov.''): {{lang|la|[[species nova]]}} (pl. {{lang|la|species novae}}): 'new species' * ''s.s.'': {{lang|la|[[sensu stricto]]}}; 'in the strict/narrow/precise sense' * ''ssp.'' (plural ''sspp.''): {{lang|la|[[subspecies]]}} (identical in English) * ''subf.'': {{lang|la|subforma}}; 'sub[[Form (botany)|form]]' * ''subsp.'' (plural ''subspp.''): {{lang|la|[[subspecies]]}} (identical in English) * ''subvar.'': {{lang|la|subvarietas}}; 'sub[[Variety (botany)|variety]]' * ''var.'': {{lang|la|varietas}}; '[[Variety (botany)|variety]]'

===Latin abbreviations relating to novelty=== These abbreviations indicate taxonomic novelty—newly identified or newly classified taxa. <!-- alpha order --> * ''comb. nov.'': {{lang|la|combinatio nova}}: 'new combination' – used when a species is moved to a different genus * ''gen. et sp. nov.'': {{lang|la|genus et species nova}}: a new genus and a new species described simultaneously (typically for a monotypic genus) * ''gen. et comb. nov.'': {{lang|la|genus et combinatio nova}}: a new genus and a new combination, often when a species is transferred into a newly erected genus * ''gen., sp. et comb. nov.'': {{lang|la|genus, species et combinatio nova}}: indicates that a genus is newly described, a species is newly described, and an existing name is reassigned (rare and complex case; usage should be clarified in text) * ''gen. nov.'' (plural ''genera nova''): {{lang|la|genus novum}} (pl. {{lang|la|genera nova}}): 'new genus' * ''gen. nov. et 2 [3, 4, etc.] spp. nov.'': informal shorthand meaning a new genus and two (three, four, etc.) new species; not standard Latin, but occasionally seen in summaries or abstracts * ''nom. nov.'': {{lang|la|nomen novum}}: 'new name' – used to replace a preoccupied or otherwise invalid name * ''sp. nov.'' (plural ''spp. nov.''): {{lang|la|species nova}} (pl. {{lang|la|species novae}}): 'new species' * ''subsp. nov.'': {{lang|la|subspecies nova}}: 'new subspecies'

==English abbreviations== * ''bot.'' - botany * ''zoo.'' - zoology

==Symbols== * '''[[×]]'''&nbsp;: cross; indicates a [[hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] * '''[[†]]'''&nbsp;: [[extinct]] * '''[[+]]'''&nbsp;: graft or chimera; indicates a [[graft chimera]] * '''[[-]]'''&nbsp;: invalid name * '''[[=]]'''&nbsp;: heterotypic synonym * '''[[Triple bar#Science|≡]]'''&nbsp;: homotypic synonym

==See also== * [[Alpha taxonomy]] * [[Cladistics]] * [[Glossary of botanical terms]] * [[Species description]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * Spooner, Hetterscheid, van den Berg, Brandenburg: [https://vcru.wisc.edu/spoonerlab/pdf/Spooner%20et%20al.,%20taxonomy%20paper.pdf Plant Nomenclature and Taxonomy] – An Horticultural and Agronomic Perspective

{{Taxonomic ranks}} {{Authority control}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}

[[Category:Glossaries of biology|Naming]] [[Category:Glossaries of botany|Scientific naming]] [[Category:Glossaries of zoology|scientific naming]] [[Category:Wikipedia glossaries using unordered lists]]