Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
type genus

type genus

9.9
The genus that gives the family or subfamily its name
  • noun
  • /taɪp ˈdʒɛnəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género tipo
  • The type genus Homo includes modern humans and their close relatives.

Examples

  • Type genus Indozacla gen. n. (feminine gender). Diagnosis.

    Academic text (2018)

  • The scientist named the new species after the type genus Salmo, which includes various salmon species.

  • In the family Felidae, the type genus Panthera consists of big cats like lions and tigers.

Surface Forms

type genus singular
type genera plural

Morphology

type + genus

The phrase combines 'type' (a reference or model) with 'genus' (a biological rank), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to the genus that serves as the reference or 'type' for a higher taxon. However, the specific nomenclatural nuance (its role in naming rules and that it may not be the most representative genus) is technical and not fully predictable at a B1 level, so the transparency is partial.

Etymology

Type genus The noun type genus comes from scientific naming where one genus is chosen as the type or model for a whole family. Imagine the family's name being built from that genus, so the type genus is the genus that gives the family its name, even if it is not the most typical member.