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 glossary of scientific 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 VirusesICSP - International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotesformerly the ICSB - International Committee on Systematic Bacteriologypublishes the ICNB - International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria or the "Bacteriological Code"ICZN - International Commission on Zoological Nomenclaturepublishes ICZN the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature or "ICZN Code"IBC - International Botanical Congresspublishes ICN the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plantsformerly ICBN or the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (current version the Melbourne Code)also publishes ICNCP or the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated PlantsIAPT - International Association for Plant Taxonomypublishes Taxonalso publishes Regnum Vegetabile which contains the IBC's ICN, the Index Nominum Genericorum, and the Index Herbariorum.clade, cladisticsphylum, phylogenysynonym : a name for a taxon different from the currently accepted name.pro parte (abbr. 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)objective synonym (zoology)subjective synonym (zoology)taxon, taxonomy; Taxon is a journal of the IAPT, where proposals are made.Basionym or Protonym : 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 : names spelled identically, but, in some codes, names spelled similarly, as defined by the code.senior homonym (zoo.) : the first legitimate use of the name which generally takes priority.junior homonym (zoo.), later homonym (bot.) : 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.Principle of the First ReviserPrinciple of PriorityPrinciple of Typificationtaxonomic authoritybinomial authoritybinomial 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 "×".chresonymorthochresonymheterochresonymtaxon (plural "taxa")wastebasket taxon (also "wastebin taxon", "dustbin taxon", or "catch-all taxon")form taxonLazarus taxonElvis taxonzombie taxonnode-based taxonichnotaxon (ichnogenus, ichnospecies, etc.) : a taxon (genus, species, etc.) only known by its work, e.g. footprints, nests, or bite marks.ootaxon (oospecies, etc.) : a taxon known from fossil eggs.polyphyletic taxonmonophyletic taxon : a taxon consisting of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants; a clade.paraphyletic taxonspecies complex : a group of closely related species very similar in appearance, generally constituting a monophyletic taxon.alliance : a group of species or genera that have at sometime been considered provisionally related.conspecific : of the same species; e. g. of two taxa previously thought to be different species.congeners : items of the same genus.circumscription : the limits of a taxon as laid down by its description.sensu ("sense" in Latin) : as in sensu stricto (s. s.) (in the strict sense), sensu lato (in a broad sense), etc.; see sensu for more variants and details.secundum ("following" in Latin) : e. g. "secundum Smith".TypeType genusType seriesType speciesType specimenAllotype : a designated type of opposite sex to the holotype.ClonotypeEpitype : an additional or clarifying type.ErgatotypeHapantotypeHolotypeIsotype : a type identical to the holotype.LectotypeName-bearing typeNeotype : a replacement for the holotype.ParalectotypeParatype : a member of a type series apart from the holotype or 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).The main ranks are kingdom (regnum), phylum or division (divisio), class, order, family, genus and species. The ranks of section and series are also used in botany for groups within genera, while 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 "form", "variety", "strain", "breed", "cultivar" 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.
Note that in zoology the English descriptions, such as "conserved name", for example, are acceptable and generally used. This descriptions can be classified between accepted names (nom. cons., nom. nov., nom. prot.) and unaccepted combinations because 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).
ex errore – made in errorincertae sedis – of uncertain placementnomen conservandum (nom. cons.; plural: nomina conservanda) – a conserved namenomen dubium (nom. dub.; plural: nomina dubia) – a name of questionable applicationnomen erratum (nom. err.; plural: nomina errata) - a name given in errornomen illegitimum (nom. illeg.; plural: nomina illegitima) – an illegitimate namenomen invalidum (nom. inval.; plural: nomina invalida) – an invalid namenomen novum (nom. nov.; plural: nomina nova) – a replacement namenomen nudum (nom. nud.; plural: nomina nuda) – a name published without an accompanying descriptionnomen oblitum (nom. obl.; plural: nomina oblita) – a name which has been overlooked (literally, forgotten) and is no longer validnomen protectum (nom. prot.; plural: nomina protecta) – a name granted protectionnomen rejiciendum (nom. rej.; plural: nomina rejicienda) – a name that has been rejected and cannot be usednomen suppressum (nom. supp.; plural: nomina suppressa) – a name that has been suppressed and cannot be usednomen 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 emendationspecies inquirenda, a species of doubtful identity requiring further investigationcf. : confer; literally "compare", indicates approximate placementf. : forma; formnothovar. : nothovarietas; hybrid varietyp. p. : pro parte; "for part"s.l. : sensu lato; in the broad (loose) sensesp. (plural spp.) : species (identical in English)s.s. : sensu stricto; in the strict (narrow or precise) sensesubf. : subforma; subformsubsp. (plural subspp.) : subspecies (identical in English)subvar. : subvarietas; subvarietyvar. : varietas; variety× : cross; indicates a hybrid† : extinct+ : graft or chimera; indicates a graft hybrid