Type (biology)
"Type specimen" redirects here. For the mineralogy term, see type specimen (mineralogy). Type specimen for Marocaster coronatus - Muséum de Toulouse In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralize the defining features of that particular taxon. In older usage (pre-1900 in botany), a type was a taxon rather than a specimen. [1] A taxon is a scientifically named grouping of organisms with other like organisms, a set that includes some organisms and excludes others, based on a detailed published description (for example a species description) and on the provision of type material, which is usually available to scientists for examination in a major museum research collection, or similar institution. [1] [2] Contents 1 Type specimen 2 Older terminology 3 In botany 4 In zoology 4.1 Defi...