Family (biology): Difference between revisions
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The taxonomic term ''{{lang|la|familia}}'' was first used by French botanist [[Pierre Magnol]] in his ''{{lang|la|Prodromus historiae generalis plantarum, in quo familiae plantarum per tabulas disponuntur}}'' (1689) where he called the seventy-six groups of plants he recognised in his tables families (''{{lang|la|familiae}}''). The concept of rank at that time was not yet settled, and in the preface to the ''{{lang|la|Prodromus}}'' Magnol spoke of uniting his families into larger ''{{lang|la|genera}}'', which is far from how the term is used today. |
The taxonomic term ''{{lang|la|familia}}'' was first used by French botanist [[Pierre Magnol]] in his ''{{lang|la|Prodromus historiae generalis plantarum, in quo familiae plantarum per tabulas disponuntur}}'' (1689) where he called the seventy-six groups of plants he recognised in his tables families (''{{lang|la|familiae}}''). The concept of rank at that time was not yet settled, and in the preface to the ''{{lang|la|Prodromus}}'' Magnol spoke of uniting his families into larger ''{{lang|la|genera}}'', which is far from how the term is used today. |
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[[Carl Linnaeus|Carolus Linnaeus]] used the word ''{{lang|la|familia}}'' in his ''{{lang|la|Philosophia botanica}}'' (1751) to denote major groups of plants: [[tree]]s, [[herb]]s, [[fern]]s, [[Palmae|palms]], and so on. He used this term only in the morphological section of the book, discussing the vegetative and generative organs of plants. Subsequently, in French botanical publications, from [[Michel Adanson]]'s ''{{lang|fr|Familles naturelles des plantes}}'' (1763) and until the end of the 19th century, the word ''{{lang|fr|famille}}'' was used as a French equivalent of the Latin ''{{lang|la|ordo}}'' (or ''{{lang|la|[[ordo naturalis]]}}''). In nineteenth century works such as the ''{{lang|la|[[de Candolle system|Prodromus]]}}'' of [[Augustin Pyramus de Candolle]] and the ''{{lang|la|[[Bentham & Hooker system|Genera Plantarum]]}}'' of [[George Bentham]] and [[Joseph Dalton Hooker]] this word ''{{lang|la|ordo}}'' was used for what now is given the rank of family. |
[[Carl Linnaeus|Carolus Linnaeus]] used the word ''{{lang|la|familia}}'' in his ''{{lang|la|Philosophia botanica}}'' (1751) to denote major groups of plants: [[tree]]s, [[herb]]s, [[fern]]s, [[Palmae|palms]], and so on. He used this term only in the morphological section of the book, discussing the vegetative and generative organs of plants. Subsequently, in French botanical publications, from [[Michel Adanson]]'s ''{{lang|fr|Familles naturelles des plantes}}'' (1763) and until the end of the 19th century, the word ''{{lang|fr|famille}}'' was used as a French equivalent of the Latin ''{{lang|la|ordo}}'' (or ''{{lang|la|[[ordo naturalis]]}}''). In nineteenth century works such as the ''{{lang|la|[[de Candolle system|Prodromus]]}}'' of [[Augustin Pyramus de Candolle]] and the ''{{lang|la|[[Bentham & Hooker system|Genera Plantarum]]}}'' of [[George Bentham]] and [[Joseph Dalton Hooker]] this word ''{{lang|la|ordo}}'' was used for what now is given the rank of family. |
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Revision as of 14:11, 15 February 2011
In biological classification, family (Latin: familia) is
- a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the prefix sub-: subfamily (Latin: subfamilia).
- a taxonomic unit, a taxon, in that rank. In that case the plural is families (Latin familiae)
- Example: Walnuts and hickories belong to the Juglandaceae, or walnut family.
What does and does not belong to each family is determined by a taxonomist. Similarly for the question if a particular family should be recognized at all. Often there is no exact agreement, with different taxonomists each taking a different position. There are no hard rules that a taxonomist needs to follow in describing or recognizing a family. Some taxa are accepted almost universally, while others are recognised only rarely.
History of the concept
The taxonomic term familia was first used by French botanist Pierre Magnol in his Prodromus historiae generalis plantarum, in quo familiae plantarum per tabulas disponuntur (1689) where he called the seventy-six groups of plants he recognised in his tables families (familiae). The concept of rank at that time was not yet settled, and in the preface to the Prodromus Magnol spoke of uniting his families into larger genera, which is far from how the term is used today. ooooooi Carolus Linnaeus used the word familia in his Philosophia botanica (1751) to denote major groups of plants: trees, herbs, ferns, palms, and so on. He used this term only in the morphological section of the book, discussing the vegetative and generative organs of plants. Subsequently, in French botanical publications, from Michel Adanson's Familles naturelles des plantes (1763) and until the end of the 19th century, the word famille was used as a French equivalent of the Latin ordo (or ordo naturalis). In nineteenth century works such as the Prodromus of Augustin Pyramus de Candolle and the Genera Plantarum of George Bentham and Joseph Dalton Hooker this word ordo was used for what now is given the rank of family.
In zoology, the family as a rank intermediate between order and genus was introduced by Pierre André Latreille in his Précis des caractères génériques des insectes, disposés dans un ordre naturel (1796). He used families (some of them not named) in some but not in all his orders of "insects" (which then included all arthropods).
Since the beginning of the 20th century, however, the term has been consistently used in its modern sense. Its usage and characteristic ending of the names belonging to this category are governed by the various nomenclature codes. These are "-idae" in the zoological code,[1] and "-aceae" in the botanical[2] and bacteriological codes.[3]
Uses
Families may be used for evolutionary, palaeontological and generic studies because they are more stable than lower taxonomic levels such as genera and species.[4][5]
See also
- Systematics, the study of the diversity of life
- Cladistics, the classification of organisms by their order of branching in an evolutionary tree
- Phylogenetics, the study of evolutionary relatedness among various groups of organisms
- Taxonomy
- Virus classification
- List of Anuran families
- List of Testudines families
- List of fish families
- List of families of spiders
- Compare:
References
- ^ International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (1999). "Article 29. Family-group names". International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (4th ed.). ISBN 0-85301-006-4.
- ^ J. McNeill, F. R. Barrie, H. M. Burdet, V. Demoulin, D. L. Hawksworth, K. Marhold, D. H. Nicholson, J. Prado, P. C. Silva, J. E. Skog, J. H. Wiersema & N. J. Turland, ed. (2005). "Article 18". International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna Code). Regnum Vegetabile 146. Ruggell, Liechtenstein: A.R.G. Gantner Verlag KG. ISBN 3-906166-48-1.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) - ^ S. P. Lapage, P. H. A. Sneath, E. F. Lessel, V. B. D. Skerman, H. P. R. Seeliger & W. A. Clark, ed. (1992). "Rules of Nomenclature with Recommendations". International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria (1990 revision ed.). ASM Press. ISBN 1-55581-039-X.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) - ^ Sarda Sahney, Michael J. Benton & Paul A. Ferry (2010). "Links between global taxonomic diversity, ecological diversity and the expansion of vertebrates on land" (PDF). Biology Letters. 6 (4): 544–547. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2009.1024.
- ^ Sarda Sahney & Michael J. Benton (2008). "Recovery from the most profound mass extinction of all time" (PDF). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 275 (1636): 759–765. doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.1370. PMC 2596898. PMID 18198148.