genus
Sign in to saveGenus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.
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A genus is a category used in scientific classification that groups together closely related species, sitting between the broader family level and the more specific species level. The genus name is the first part of an organism's two-part scientific name, which helps scientists organize and communicate about the millions of living things on Earth.
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Article
11 sectionsContents
- Use
- Use in nomenclature
- The type concept
- Categories of generic name
- Identical names (homonyms)
- Use in higher classifications
- Numbers of accepted genera
- Genus size
- See also
- References
- External links
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus. E.g. Panthera leo (lion) and Panthera onca (jaguar) are two species within the genus Panthera. Panthera is a genus within the family Felidae.
The composition of a genus is determined by taxonomists. The standards for genus classification are not strictly codified, so different authorities often produce different classifications for genera. There are some general practices used, however, including the idea that a newly defined genus should fulfill these three criteria to be descriptively useful: Monophyly – all descendants of an ancestral taxon are grouped together (i.e. phylogenetic analysis should clearly demonstrate both monophyly and validity as a separate lineage). Reasonable Compactness – a genus should not be expanded needlessly. Distinctness – with respect to evolutionarily relevant criteria, i.e. ecology, morphology, or biogeography; DNA sequences are a consequence rather than a condition of diverging evolutionary lineages except in cases where they directly inhibit gene flow (e.g. postzygotic barriers).