Type specimen - Entomologists' glossary

Historically speaking, species are described by taxonomists and this description consists of observations made on a Type specimen. The Type specimen is ... Skiptocontent AmateurEntomologists'Society Home About us Membership Bug Club Publications Events Insects Shop Members Search:  Insects Whatbugisthis? Insectfactfiles Insects&Man Caresheets Becomeanentomologist Conservation Biodiversity&biologicalrecording Glossary Youare:Home> Insects> Glossary>DefinitionofTypespecimen Typespecimen Historicallyspeaking,speciesaredescribedbytaxonomistsandthisdescriptionconsistsofobservationsmadeonaTypespecimen.TheTypespecimenisrepresentativeofaspeciesbutneednotbe'typical'inappearance.TheTypespecimenactsasthe'namebearer'forthatspecies.BycomparingotherspecimenswiththeTypespecimen(orthedescriptionoftheTypespecimen)itcanbedeterminediftheseotherspecimensbelongtothesamespecies.Typespecimensarecataloguedandusuallykeptinamuseumorothercollectionwherescientistscanaccessit.Differentsortsof'primary'Typespecimenexist:Holotype-asinglespecimenthatisthenamebearerofthespecies.Syntype-whenaspeciesisfirstdescribedtheauthormaychooseseveralspecimensasbeingrepresentativeofthespeciesratherthanpickasingleholotype.Eachspecimenisknownasasyntype.Lectotype-aspecimenthatwasselected(oftenfromagroupofsyntypes)afterthefirstdescriptionofthespeciestoactasaholotype.Paratype-otherspecimensthatarelistedasrepresentativewhenaspeciesisdescribedinadditiontoaholotype.Neotype-aspecimenselectedtoactastheholotypeforaspeciesafterthespecieswasfirstdescribedandtheoriginalholotypewaslostordestroyed.Plesiotype-aspecimenonwhichalaterdescriptionwasbased. AphotographofaspecimenoftheLordHoweIslandstickinsect(Dryococelusaustralis).TheTypespecimenforthisspeciesiskeptintheNaturalHistoryMuseuminLondon.Thisstickinsecthasbeencalledthe"rarestinsectintheworld"asitwasthoughttobeextinctuntilapopulationoflessthan30individualswasdiscoveredin2001.PhotographbyPeterHalaszlicensedunderCreativeCommons. Othernamesfor(ortypesof)Typespecimeninclude: Holotype Lectotype Neotype Onomatophore Paratype Plesiotype Syntype Type Generitype Relatedterms Binomialnamingsystem Biologicalclassification Linnaeus Species Taxonomy Relatedgroupsofterms Generalbiology Relatedpagesonthiswebsite Insectclassification SeeotherwordsbeginningwithT BrowsetermsbyA-Z A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z BacktoGlossary IfyouhavefoundthisglossaryusefulpleaseconsidersupportingtheAmateurEntomologists'Societybybecomingamemberormakingadonation. Contact us Site map Help Privacy & Cookies Conditions News feeds Links directory @amentsoc Facebook YouTube TheAmateurEntomologists'Society,POBox8774,London,SW75ZG https://www.amentsoc.orgRegisteredcharityno.267430 Copyright © 1997-2022 Amateur Entomologists' Society