Subspecies: Difference between revisions

In [[Taxonomy (biology)|biological classification]], '''subspecies''' ({{plural form}}: subspecies) is a rank below [[species]], used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics ([[Morphology (biology)|morphology]]), but that can successfully interbreed.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Mayr, E. |year=1982 |title=Of what use are subspecies? |journal=The Auk |volume=99 |issue=3 |pages=593–595}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Monroe, B. L. |year=1982 |title=A modern concept of the subspecies |journal=The Auk |volume=99 |issue=3 |pages=608–609}}</ref> Not all species have subspecies, but for those that do there must be at least two. Subspecies is abbreviated as '''subsp.''' or '''ssp.''' and the singular and plural forms are the same ("the subspecies is" or "the subspecies are").

The [[scientific name]] of a species is a [[Binomial nomenclature|binomial]] or binomen, and comprises two [[Latin]] words, the first denoting the [[Genus (biology)|genus]] and the second denoting the species.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Linné |first1=C. |year=1735 |title=Systema naturae, sive, Regna tria naturae systematice proposita per classes, ordines, genera, & species |location=Lugduni Batavorum |publisher=Theodor Haak |url=https://archive.org/details/mobot31753002972252/page/n1}}</ref> The scientific name of a subspecies is formed slightly differently in the different nomenclature codes. In zoology, under the ''[[International Code of Zoological Nomenclature]]'' (''ICZN''), the scientific name of a subspecies is termed a [[trinomen]], and comprises three words, namely the binomen followed by the name of the subspecies.<ref>{{cite book |editor1=Ride, W. D. L. |editor2=Corliss, J. O. |year=1999 |title=International Code of Zoological Nomenclature: Adopted by the International Union of Biological Sciences |location=London |publisher=The International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature |edition=Fourth |url=http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/271138.pdf |isbn=0853010064}}</ref> For example, the binomen for the [[leopard]] is ''Panthera pardus''. The trinomen ''Panthera pardus fusca'' denotes a subspecies, the [[Indian leopard]].<ref name="Catsg2017"/> All components of the trinomen are written in italics.<ref name=>{{cite web

In [[botany]], subspecies is one of many ranks below that of species, such as [[Variety (botany)|variety]], [[Subvariety (botany)|subvariety]], [[form (botany)|form]], and subform. To identify the rank, the subspecific name must be preceded by "subspecies" (which can be abbreviated to "subsp." or "ssp."), as in [[Totora (plant)|''Schoenoplectus californicus'' subsp. ''tatora'']].<ref>{{cite webencyclopedia |last1=James |first1=Mallet |title=Subspecies, semispecies, superspecies |url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/taxome/jim/Sp/Sub-semi.pdf |websitedate=ucl.ac.uk2007 |via=UCL |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Biodiversity |publisher=Elsevier |access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref>

In [[Microbiology|bacteriology]], the only rank below species that is regulated explicitly by the code of nomenclature is ''subspecies'', but infrasubspecific taxa are extremely important in bacteriology; Appendix 10 of the code lays out some recommendations that are intended to encourage uniformity in describing such taxa. Names published before 1992 in the rank of ''variety'' are taken to be names of subspecies<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=icnb&part=A185 "International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria: Bacteriological Code, 1990 Revision. - Chapter 3: Rules of Nomenclature with Recommendations"]. [[National Center for Biotechnology Information]]. Retrieved 17 January 2013.</ref> (see ''[[International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes]]''). As in botany, ''subspecies'' is conventionally abbreviated as "subsp.", and is used in the scientific name: ''[[Bacillus subtilis]]'' subsp. ''spizizenii''.<ref name="ICNP 2018">{{cite journal |at="Names of Subspecies: Rule 13a"<!--This document is not page-numbered.--> |title=International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (2008 Revision) |date=20 November 2015 |orig-year=2008 |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |edition=ICSP Matters |volume=69|issue=<!--Appears to have been a special stand-alone issue; no vol./issue numbers specified.--> |first1=Charles T. |last1=Parker |first2=Brian J. |last2=Tindall |first3=George M. |last3=Garrity |doi=10.1099/ijsem.0.000778|pmid=26596770 |doi-access=free }} Full text available from PDF link at this page; direct URL to PDF is auto-generated and expires.</ref>

When zoologists disagree over whether a certain population is a subspecies or a full species, the species name may be written in parentheses. Thus ''Larus (argentatus) smithsonianus'' means the [[American herring gull]]; the notation within the parentheses means that some consider it a subspecies of a larger [[European herring gull|herring gull]] species and therefore call it ''Larus argentatus smithsonianus'', while others consider it a full species and therefore call it ''Larus smithsonianus'' (and the user of the notation is not taking a position).<ref>{{citationCite web |last=cf. Read |first=Geoffrey B. (Ph.D.) needed|date=January12 Jul 1999 |title=Zoological nomenclature: a guide to writing zoological names for non-taxonomist authors |url=http://www.annelida.net/zootax-tutor.html |access-date=6 Nov 2024 |website=Annelid Resources 2013(annelida.net)}}</ref>

[[File:One_horn_Rhino_in_Kaziranga_national_park.jpg|thumb|The [[Indian rhinoceros]] (''Rhinoceros unicornis'') is a [[monotypic]] species.]]