Least-inclusive taxonomic unit: a new taxonomic concept for biology

Phylogenetic taxonomy has been introduced as a replacement for the Linnaean system. It differs from traditional nomenclature in defining taxon names with reference to phylogenetic trees and in not employing ranks for supraspecific taxa. However, 'species' are currently kept distinct. Withi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inProceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Vol. 267; no. 1443; pp. 627 - 630
Main Authors Pleijel, F, Rouse, G.W
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England The Royal Society 22.03.2000
Subjects
Animal names
Animals
Biological Evolution
Biological taxonomies
Classification
Least-Inclusive Taxonomic Unit
linnaean system
Names
Phylogenetic Taxonomy
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Plant names
Species
Species Concepts
Taxa
taxonomy
Terminology
Topology
Zoology
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Summary:Phylogenetic taxonomy has been introduced as a replacement for the Linnaean system. It differs from traditional nomenclature in defining taxon names with reference to phylogenetic trees and in not employing ranks for supraspecific taxa. However, 'species' are currently kept distinct. Within a system of phylogenetic taxonomy we believe that taxon names should refer to monophyletic groups only and that species should not be recognized as taxa. To distinguish the smallest identified taxa, we here introduce the least-inclusive taxonomic unit (LITU), which are differentiated from more inclusive taxa by initial lower-case letters. LITUs imply nothing absolute about inclusiveness, only that subdivisions are not presently recognized.
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ISSN:0962-8452
1471-2954
DOI:10.1098/rspb.2000.1048