taxon

(noun)

any of the taxonomic categories such as phylum or subspecies

Related Terms

Examples of taxon in the following topics:

  • Phylogenetic Trees

    • A lineage that evolved early from the root and remains unbranched is called basal taxon.
    • For example, if a branch point was rotated and the taxon order changed, this would not alter the information because the evolution of each taxon from the branch point was independent of the other.
    • A lineage that evolved early and remains unbranched is a basal taxon.

  • The Levels of Classification

    • The name at each level is also called a taxon.
    • Carnivora is the name of the taxon at the order level; Canidae is the taxon at the family level, and so forth.

  • Building Phylogenetic Trees

    • If a characteristic is found in the ancestor of a group, it is considered a shared-ancestral character because all of the organisms in the taxon or clade have that trait .