Genus
genus (noun, pl. genera;nomenclature term) – the next principle taxonomic rank above the species that, unlike any other rank, is always associated with a species name as the first part of the binominal. As in the species concept there is very little agreement what generally constitutes a genus and no universally applicable genus concept exists. It is frequently argued that any taxonomic rank above the species bears little or no reality because it is essentially an artificial category that does not exist in the natural world. In contrast, species are believed to exist as real evolutionary entities. Nevertheless, the genus does convey information functioning as the first reference point, which species are considered most similar and thus closely related.
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