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The description
of a genus is based
primarily on its type species, modified and expanded by the
features of other
included species. The
generic name is permanently associated with its type species. For
example, the type species for the genus
Opuntia is Cactus
opuntia (currently recognized as Opuntia ficus-indica). This
name must be known as part of the genus; Cactus. Presumably, a
type species best exemplifies the essential
characteristics of the genus to which it belongs; this species then
defines the genus for the purpose of deciding whether other species
belong to that genus or not.
See: Type,
holotype, |
