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 Viruses
ICSP - International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes
formerly the ICSB - International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology
publishes the ICNB - International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria or the "Bacteriological Code"
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 Melbourne Code)
also publishes ICNCP or the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants
IAPT - International Association for Plant Taxonomy
publishes Taxon
also publishes Regnum Vegetabile which contains the IBC's ICN, the Index Nominum Genericorum, and the Index Herbariorum.
clade, cladistics
phylum, phylogeny
synonym : 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 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
orthochresonym
heterochresonym
taxon (plural "taxa")
wastebasket taxon (also "wastebin taxon", "dustbin taxon", or "catch-all taxon")
form taxon
Lazarus taxon
Elvis taxon
zombie taxon
node-based taxon
ichnotaxon (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 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.
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".
Type
Type genus
Type series
Type species
Type specimen
Allotype : a designated type of opposite sex to the holotype.
Clonotype
Epitype : an additional or clarifying type.
Ergatotype
Hapantotype
Holotype
Isotype : a type identical to the holotype.
Lectotype
Name-bearing type
Neotype : a replacement for the holotype.
Paralectotype
Paratype : 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 error
incertae sedis – of uncertain placement
nomen conservandum (nom. cons.; plural: nomina conservanda) – a conserved name
nomen dubium (nom. dub.; plural: nomina dubia) – a name of questionable application
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 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 protectum (nom. prot.; plural: nomina protecta) – a name granted protection
nomen rejiciendum (nom. rej.; plural: nomina rejicienda) – a name that has been rejected and cannot be used
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
species inquirenda, a species of doubtful identity requiring further investigation
cf. : confer; literally "compare", indicates approximate placement
f. : forma; form
nothovar. : nothovarietas; hybrid variety
p. p. : pro parte; "for part"
s.l. : sensu lato; in the broad (loose) sense
sp. (plural spp.) : species (identical in English)
s.s. : sensu stricto; in the strict (narrow or precise) sense
subf. : subforma; subform
subsp. (plural subspp.) : subspecies (identical in English)
subvar. : subvarietas; subvariety
var. : varietas; variety
× : cross; indicates a hybrid
† : extinct
+ : graft or chimera; indicates a graft hybrid
