subspecies

C2 Topic:Animals

Also spelled sub-species

UK /ˈsʌbspiːʃiːz/ See IPA manual

Freq #61380

Meanings

1

noun
A rank in the classification of organisms, below species.

I believe it [the trilobite Calymene blumenbachii] has been divided into several forms, which cannot claim more than the rank of subspecies, as they pass by slight gradations into forms which no author has yet thought it right to separate from the type species.
2

noun
A taxon at that rank, often indicated with trinomial nomenclature (such as Felis silvestris silvestris in zoology and Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii in botany).

But these slight differences will not justify us in considering the West African chiquera as a true species distinct from the Indian true chiquera; it is only a subspecies of the latter true species.
3

noun
A subdivision of a species in other scientific disciplines.

Granular Augite. […] This subspecies of augite has been hitherto found principally in primitive rocks at Arendal in Norway, in several of the iron-mines, particularly that named Ulve-Grube.
4

noun
(biology) a taxonomic group that is a division of a species

Thesaurus

Synonyms

4 noun · (biology) a taxonomic group... race

Word family

Derived forms chronosubspeciesecosubspeciesichnosubspeciesinfrasubspeciesintersubspeciesintrasubspeciesmicrosubspeciesnothosubspeciespalaeosubspeciessubspecific

Related forms cultivarinfraspecificquasispeciesstrainsubspecificvariety

Etymology

From sub- + species.

Topics

Animals

External links

# subspecies

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsʌbspiːʃiːz/
**Frequency rank:** 61380

## Meanings
1. A rank in the classification of organisms, below species.
2. A taxon at that rank, often indicated with trinomial nomenclature (such as Felis silvestris silvestris in zoology and Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii in botany).
3. A subdivision of a species in other scientific disciplines.
4. (biology) a taxonomic group that is a division of a species

## Examples
- I believe it [the trilobite Calymene blumenbachii] has been divided into several forms, which cannot claim more than the rank of subspecies, as they pass by slight gradations into forms which no author has yet thought it right to separate from the type species.
- But these slight differences will not justify us in considering the West African chiquera as a true species distinct from the Indian true chiquera; it is only a subspecies of the latter true species.
- Granular Augite. […] This subspecies of augite has been hitherto found principally in primitive rocks at Arendal in Norway, in several of the iron-mines, particularly that named Ulve-Grube.

## Derived Forms
- chronosubspecies
- ecosubspecies
- ichnosubspecies
- infrasubspecies
- intersubspecies
- intrasubspecies
- microsubspecies
- nothosubspecies
- palaeosubspecies
- subspecific

## Related Forms
- cultivar
- infraspecific
- quasispecies
- strain
- subspecific
- variety

## Etymology
From sub- + species.

## Topics
- Animals

markdown