example: genus chironomus, and subgenus chironomus

A subgenus is a rank in between genus and species, although it is not the only one and not every genus has subgenera (plural of subgenus). When a genus is split into multiple subgenera, one of the subgenera has the same name as the genus, so that’s why there is both a genus Chironomus and a subgenus…

as for where distinctions are made to define genera and subgenera, this is based on the consensus regarding generic delineations for a specific group. for example, a subgenus for a plant is unlikely to be an equivalent level to a subgenus of an insect.

I can understand having a subgenus… but what I don’t get is why there is subgenus and section, and why some genera (e.g. Claytonia) skip directly to section and don’t have a subgenus. Seems like you’d have to have a subgenus before you would further divide into sections…

Some of the subgenera in the squirrel genus Spermophilus were elevated to genus a few years ago to better define the differences in this group of mammals. Interestingly, some or all of those subgenera were genera in the past, then got lumped under Spermophilus, before they were split out again. Same…

[image] jnstuart: My impression is that subgenera in mammals either get mostly ignored or, following a phylogenetic study of the group, they end up elevated to full genera. This has definitely been true for mollusks as well. I think part of the reason is to avoid the inherent trinomials of pa…

[image] aphili8: don’t get is why there is subgenus and section, and why some genera (e.g. Claytonia) skip directly to section and don’t have a subgenus The zoological and botanical naming codes are different. Section is really only a botanical term. Possibly fungi too can’t remember…

[image] thomaseverest: I think part of the reason is to avoid the inherent trinomials of parenthetical subgenera. No doubt. If the name has to be put inside of parentheses, I guess you might as well ignore it.

“What is the difference between a genus and a subgenus?” Three letters. s u b

same happens with arthropods (particularly hoppers). I think taking that extra step to look into monophyletic groupings within a genus is very useful as it helps with the division of over-stuffed genera. those groupings are often elevated to genus at some point (or are collapsed if they are not actu…

The key point, which others have alluded to, is that taxonomic ranks are generally entirely arbitrary. If a taxonomist makes up a new rank and other people use it, it is just as valid as any other rank. If a taxonomist decided that what was a subspecies is actually a different family, and other taxo…

What is the difference between a genus and a subgenus?

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What is the difference between a genus and a subgenus?

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