taxon

[ tak-son ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural tax·a [tak, -s, uh].

taxon

/ ˈtæksɒn /

taxon

/ tăk′sŏn′ /

, Plural taxa

A taxonomic category or group, such as a phylum, order, family, genus, or species.

Origin of taxon¹

First recorded in 1945–50; from Greek táx(is) “arranged, put in order” + -on neuter noun ending; taxis ¹, -on ¹

Origin of taxon¹

C20: back formation from taxonomy

The genus Vulpes, which includes foxes, makes up another taxon.

The names also categorize organisms into groups, known as taxa.

However, there aren’t rules for deciding what rank a group of species — or taxon — falls into.

In fact, a third scientist might even think the taxon should belong to a different rank, such as an order.

The nested nature of these taxa provides scientists with helpful information.

Taxol′ogy, the science of classification; Taxon′omer, a taxonomist.

Other entries are first usages, in chronological order, of other names (synonyms) that have been applied to the taxon in question.

The second entry is the name-combination herein applied to the taxon.

Because there is considerable variation correlated with sex and size, each taxon occurs in the key in more than one couplet.

The last specialization is seen in at least one taxon of Orthogeomys (Orthogeomys cherriei costaricensis).

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