species
Genus's finer division
The derived adjective specific says a lot about the uses of the noun species.
The main job of species is in taxonomic classification of plants and animals, where species is the most specific and basic category, denoting like organisms that can breed among themselves: What species of ferns are native to this area?
Species has technical uses in various fields and it is also used, formally and sometimes humorously, as a synonym of kind or type: She presented a dish that seemed to be some species of salad.
Species has the same spelling and pronunciation in singular and plural.
Range of life forms
- richnessState of abundance
- abundanceAmple supply, overflowing
- endemicNative to one area
- nativeOriginating from a place
invasive · exotic · introduced · flora · fauna · biota · ecosystem · variety
At risk of extinction
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- poachingUnlawful wildlife capture
habitat loss · deforestation · protection · recovery · wildlife sanctuary · preservation · endemic · reintroduction
Living biological entity
- reproductionCopying or procreation
- genotypeOrganism's complete allele set
- phenotypeObservable characteristics of organism
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
heredity · DNA · chromosomes · population · morphology · anatomy · physiology · lifespan
Taxonomic rank above species
- familyRelated people together
- orderMethodical arrangement or request
- phylumMajor classification rank
- kingdomMonarch's ruled territory
domain · class · binomial · nomenclature · classification · systematics · cladistics · Linnaean
Multicellular motile organism
- wildlifeUndomesticated natural organisms
- mammalWarm-blooded, milk-producing animal
- reptileCold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- birdFeathered flying vertebrate
fish · amphibian · invertebrate · vertebrate · insect · carnivore · herbivore · predator
Differential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- mutationPermanent DNA alteration
- common descentAll organisms share forebears
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
ancestry · fossils · Darwinism · genetic drift · gene flow · survival of the fittest · macroevolution · microevolution
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- biomeMajor ecological community
- forestTree-dense ecosystem
- wetlandsWater-saturated terrain
- coral reefCalcium carbonate marine ecosystem
grassland · tundra · desert · rainforest · marine · freshwater · terrestrial · aquatic
biodiversity
Range of life forms
native · invasive · exotic · introduced · flora · fauna · biota · ecosystem · variety · heterogeneity
endangered
At risk of extinction
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
poaching · habitat loss · deforestation · protection · recovery · wildlife sanctuary · preservation · endemic · reintroduction · captive breeding
organism
Living biological entity
- reproductionCopying or procreation
- genotypeOrganism's complete allele set
- phenotypeObservable characteristics of organism
genetics · heredity · DNA · chromosomes · population · morphology · anatomy · physiology · lifespan · behavior
genus
Taxonomic rank above species
kingdom · domain · class · binomial · nomenclature · classification · systematics · cladistics · Linnaean · rank
animal
Multicellular motile organism
- wildlifeUndomesticated natural organisms
- mammalWarm-blooded, milk-producing animal
- reptileCold-blooded scaled vertebrate
bird · fish · amphibian · invertebrate · vertebrate · insect · carnivore · herbivore · predator · prey
natural selection
Differential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- mutationPermanent DNA alteration
- common descentAll organisms share forebears
phylogeny · ancestry · fossils · Darwinism · genetic drift · gene flow · survival of the fittest · macroevolution · microevolution · divergence
ecosystem
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
coral reef · grassland · tundra · desert · rainforest · marine · freshwater · terrestrial · aquatic · savanna
plant
Botanical organism
flower · fern · moss · algae · fungus · lichen · cultivar · native plant · wildflower · perennial
- biologycells, DNA, cell, biology, gene
- life formsorganisms, organism, lifeforms, animal, creatures
- ecologyhabitat, ecosystem, balance, niche, food webs
- evolutionevolution, natural selection, mutation, adaptation, fitness
- natural historynatural history, natural history museum, naturalist, naturalists, natural philosophers
- natural sciencesbiology, ecology, botany, zoology, geology
- nothing specialLacking distinction or note
- special occasionEvent worth commemorating
- special effectsArtificial cinematic illusions
- special offerPromotional price incentive
- special needsAtypical developmental or learning conditions
- special editionEnhanced variant with extras
special, specific, specialist, specify, specimen, specialty, specified, specially, specifically