Type genus
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In biological classification, a type genus is a representative genus, as with regard to a biological family. The term and concept is used much more often and much more formally in zoology than it is in botany, and the definition is dependent on the nomenclatural Code that applies:
- In zoological nomenclature, a type genus is "The nominal genus that is the name-bearing type of a nominal family-group taxon."
- In botanical nomenclature, the phrase "type genus" is used, unofficially, as a term of convenience. In the ICBN this phrase has no status. Although the code also uses type specimens for ranks up to family (all ranks must bear the name of the genus in which their types are placed), but does not refer to the genus containing that type as a "Type genus". Names above the rank of family are not under any nomenclatural restriction according to the ICBN, except where it comes to their endings.
