genus, genera, generic

Classification · Explanation of Names · Identification · See Also · Internet References

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

No Taxon (Glossary)

No Taxon (G)

No Taxon genus, genera, generic

Explanation of Names

Roman Latin genus, meaning tribe, group. Cognate with Greek γενοσ, meaning offspring, group, type, or class. Likewise cognate with English kin and kind via a common Indo-European origin (Etymology Online).

Identification

genus singular noun, plural genera, adjective generic - a rank in the classification of organisms, below family and above species; a taxon (taxonomic group) at that rank. Simply put, a genus is a group of closely-related species, all presumed to have descended from a single common ancestor. Some examples of genera, with thumbnails of representative species for each are below.

Danaus, includes the Monarch, Queen, and Soldier Butterflies:

Orchelimum, the Greater Meadow Katydids:

Phanaeus, the "Rainbow Scarabs":

Argiope, a genus of orb-weaver spiders:

See Also

taxon

family

subfamily

tribe

genus

species

Internet References

Wiktionary: genus, genos

Wikipedia: Genus

Contributed by Chuck Entz on 31 May, 2007 - 1:51am
Additional contributions by cotinis
Last updated 4 October, 2007 - 9:13am

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2023 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version