Subfamily
Subfamily
Subfamily (pronunciation: suhb-fam-uh-lee) is a term used in the biological classification system, specifically in taxonomy. It is a rank in the hierarchical classification of organisms, below the rank of family and above the rank of genus.
Etymology
The term "subfamily" is derived from the prefix "sub-" meaning "under" or "below", and "family". In the context of biological taxonomy, it refers to a rank that is one level below the family rank.
Definition
A subfamily is an intermediate category in the classification of living organisms, especially plants and animals. It is used when a family is large and diverse enough to be subdivided into several genera that share common characteristics. The name of a subfamily always ends in "-inae" in zoological taxonomy and "-oideae" in botanical taxonomy.
Related Terms
- Taxonomy: The science of classification, in biology the arrangement of organisms into a classification.
- Family: A higher rank in the classification hierarchy, above genus and below order.
- Genus: A rank in the classification hierarchy, below family and above species.
- Species: The lowest and most specific rank in the classification hierarchy.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Subfamily
- Wikipedia's article - Subfamily
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski