In biological nomenclature, a type species is the species to which the name of a genus is permanently linked; it is the species that contains the biological type specimen(s) of the taxon. A type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature (naming) of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. This is an important concept whenever a taxon containing multiple species must be divided into more than one genus; the type species automatically assigns the name of the original taxon to one of the resulting new taxa, thus reducing the potential for confusion.
Under both the zoological and botanical nomenclature codes, every named genus or subdivision of a genus, whether or not currently recognized as valid or correct, should have a type species. In practice however there is a backlog of untypified names.
A similar concept is used for suprageneric groups, the concept of a type genus.
Read more about Type Species: In Zoology, In Botany
Famous quotes containing the words type and/or species:
“One type of rice nourishes one hundred types of people.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Single-mindedness is all very well in cows or baboons; in an animal claiming to belong to the same species as Shakespeare it is simply disgraceful.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)