Rank (zoology)
From Freepedia
In zoology, a taxon is usually assigned to a rank in a hierarchy. The ICZN divides names in "family-group names", "genus group-names" and "species-group names". The ICZN explicitly mentions:
- - - superfamily
family
- - - subfamily
- - - tribe
- - - subtribe
genus
- - - subgenus
species
- - - subspecies
The rules in the ICZN apply to the ranks of superfamily to subspecies, and only to some extent to those above the rank of superfamily. In the "genus group" and "species group" no further ranks are allowed.
Names of zoological taxa
- a taxon above the rank of species gets a scientific name in one part (a uninominal name)
- a species (a taxon at the rank of species) gets a name composed of two names (a binominal name or binomen : generic name + specific name)
- a subspecies (a taxon at the rank of subspecies) gets a name composed of three names (a trinominal name or trinomen : generic name + specific name + subspecific name). As there is only one rank below that of species no connecting term to indicate rank is used.
