In
biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (
taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic
species is one that does not include
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispecific" or "monospecific" is sometimes preferred. In
botanical nomenclature
Botanical nomenclature is the formal, scientific naming of plants. It is related to, but distinct from Alpha taxonomy, taxonomy. Plant taxonomy is concerned with grouping and classifying plants; botanical nomenclature then provides names for the ...
, a monotypic genus is a
genus in the special case where a genus and a single species are simultaneously described. In contrast, an oligotypic taxon contains more than one but only a very few subordinate taxa.
Examples
Just as the term ''monotypic'' is used to describe a taxon including only one subdivision, the contained taxon can also be referred to as monotypic within the higher-level taxon, e.g. a genus monotypic within a family. Some examples of monotypic groups are:
Plants
* In the
order
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...
Amborellales, there is only one
family, Amborellaceae and there is only one genus, ''
Amborella
''Amborella'' is a monotypic genus of understory shrubs or small trees endemic to the main island, Grande Terre, of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The genus is the only member of the family Amborellaceae and the order Amborellale ...
'', and in this genus there is only one species, namely ''Amborella trichopoda.''
* The flowering plant ''Breonadia salicina'' is the only species in the monotypic genus ''
Breonadia''.
* The family Cephalotaceae includes only one genus, ''
Cephalotus'', and only one species, ''Cephalotus follicularis'' – the Albany pitcher plant.
* The
division Ginkgophyta is monotypic, containing the single class Ginkgoopsida. This class is also monotypic, containing the single order Ginkgoales.
* Flowering plant ''Nandina domestica'' is the only species in the genus ''
Nandina''.
* It is today generally accepted that
cannabis (''Cannabis sativa'') is a monospecific genus.
Animals
*The
madrone butterfly
''Eucheira socialis'', commonly known as the Madrone butterfly is a lepidopteran that belongs to the family Pieridae. It was first described by Westwood in 1834. Locally known as ''Mariposa del madroño'' or ''tzauhquiocuilin'', it is endemic to ...
is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Eucheira''. However, there are two subspecies of this
butterfly, ''E. socialis socialis'' and ''E. socialis westwoodi'', which means the species ''E. socialis'' is not monotypic.
*
''Delphinapterus leucas'' or the beluga whale is the only member of its genus and lacks subspecies.
*''Dugong dugong''is the only species in the monotypic genus ''
Dugong''.
*
''Homo sapiens'' (humans) are monotypic, as they have too little
genetic diversity
Genetic diversity is the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species, it ranges widely from the number of species to differences within species and can be attributed to the span of survival for a species. It is dis ...
to harbor any living
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
.
*The
narwhal
The narwhal, also known as a narwhale (''Monodon monoceros''), is a medium-sized toothed whale that possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada and Russia. It is o ...
is a medium sized
cetacean
Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel them ...
that is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Monodon''.
*The
platypus is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Ornithorhynchus''.
* ''Ozichthys albimaculosus'', the cream-spotted cardinalfish, found in tropical Australia and southern New Guinea, is the type species of the monotypic genus ''
Ozichthys''.
* The
bearded reedling is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Panurus'', which is the only genus in the monotypic family Panuridae.
See also
*
Glossary of scientific naming
*
Monophyly
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monotypic Taxon
Conservation biology
Speciation