holotype
Americannoun
noun
-
The single specimen or illustration designated as the type for naming a species or subspecies or used as the basis for naming a species or subspecies when no type has been selected.
-
Also called type species
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of holotype
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"At the time, the prevailing consensus was that the Nanotyrannus holotype skull represented an immature Tyrannosaurus rex, and was not a separate species," said Griffin, assistant professor of geosciences at Princeton.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 15, 2026
But designating a neotype "usually relies on other people being able to determine whether or not you can find a specimen of the same species from the same locality" as the holotype, said Seago.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2023
But in Brazil, 90% of holotype fossils described by foreign researchers were housed in foreign collections, which goes against Brazilian law.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 1, 2022
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s skeleton, nicknamed “the Nation’s T. rex,” has been anointed the holotype for Tyrannosaurus regina.
From New York Times ● Feb. 28, 2022
Unfortunately no young male of C. m. mearnsi of the same age as the holotype of C. pediculus is available.
From Comments on the Taxonomy and Geographic Distribution of Some North American Marsupials, Insectivores and Carnivores by E. Raymond (Eugene Raymond) Hall
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
