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Monotypic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Monogeneric)
Monotypic is an adjective that refers to a taxonomic group with only one type:
- in botany it means that a taxon has only one species; Ginkgo is a monotypic genus, while Ginkgoaceae is a monotypic family. The phrase is not really accurate, as it assumes that a species includes only a single type. This is not necessarily the case as a species may include several subspecies (or other infraspecific taxa) each of which will have a type. A more accurate term is "unispecific".
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- An example is the genus Darlingtonia, with only one species: Darlingtonia californica.
- in zoology "monotypic" refers to a taxon that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon.[1] For example, a monotypic genus has only one species. Conversely, one can say that the contained taxon is monotypic within the larger taxon; a genus monotypic within a family.
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- An example is the genus Tarsius which is monotypic within the Tarsiidae family (which is itself monotypic in Tarsiiformes). An example of a monotypic species is the Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) which, discounting the nominate taxon, does not include any subordinate taxa (subspecies). On the contrary the Mealy Parrot (Amazona farinosa) is not a monotypic species, as it has several subordinate taxa (subspecies).
- ^ Mayr E, Ashlock PD. 1991. Principles of Systematic Zoology. Second Edition. Published by McGraw-Hill, inc. ISBN 0-07-041144-1.
- polytypic
- race for a more detailed definition of monotypic in the context of a species, and its relevance regarding the species Homo sapiens
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