Hi Diana,

Briefly and roughly:

When an individual describes a genus, he uses a specific species as his
model, one that he thinks best represents the genus he is describing. It
exemplifies all the characteristics that he ascribes to that new genus.
That is the type species.

You will also see "type specimen" which means the actual shell from
which the species it belongs to was described. There are various other
types.

Lynn Scheu
Louisville KY
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Diana Pederson wrote:
>
> Hi:
>
> Every onece in a while I see a name for a shell with the statement
> "Type species" after it.  What is this?  I am familiar with family,
> genus, species, cultivar from the plant world.  Not sure there are
> "cultivars" in the animal world.  Haven't heard of "type species"
> before.
> --
> Diana Pederson, Lansing, Michigan, United States, USDA Zone 5
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