Genus ( / ˈ dʒ iː n ə s / ; pl. : genera / ˈ dʒ ɛ n ər ə / ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses . In binomial nomenclature , the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.
46-753: Sarmientosaurus is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur belonging to the Titanosauria . It lived in what is now South America , specifically Argentina , during the Upper Cretaceous Period about 95 million years ago. The type species is Sarmientosaurus musacchioi . In 1997, paleontologist Rubén D.F. Martínez, at the Estancia Laguna Palacios of the Goicoechea family in Chubut province , discovered
92-905: A basal position within the clade Lithostrotia , above Malawisaurus in the evolutionary tree. However, in 2021, Stephen Poropat and colleagues instead identified it as part of the new clade Diamantinasauria , along with Savannasaurus and Diamantinasaurus . It had very large eye sockets, meaning that it may have had better vision than other titanosaurs. Based on the ear and neck tendon, Sarmientosaurus most likely hung its head and neck down "like an enormous Eeyore ". This posture implies that Sarmientosaurus may have eaten much lower-lying plants than other sauropods. The correlation between inner ear structure and head posture has been questioned in previous studies. Videos accompanying research article: [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Genus The composition of
138-407: A genus is determined by taxonomists . The standards for genus classification are not strictly codified, so different authorities often produce different classifications for genera. There are some general practices used, however, including the idea that a newly defined genus should fulfill these three criteria to be descriptively useful: Moreover, genera should be composed of phylogenetic units of
184-651: A later homonym of a validly published name is a nomen illegitimum or nom. illeg. ; for a full list refer to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants and the work cited above by Hawksworth, 2010. In place of the "valid taxon" in zoology, the nearest equivalent in botany is " correct name " or "current name" which can, again, differ or change with alternative taxonomic treatments or new information that results in previously accepted genera being combined or split. Prokaryote and virus codes of nomenclature also exist which serve as
230-628: A long time and redescribed as new by a range of subsequent workers, or if a range of genera previously considered separate taxa have subsequently been consolidated into one. For example, the World Register of Marine Species presently lists 8 genus-level synonyms for the sperm whale genus Physeter Linnaeus, 1758, and 13 for the bivalve genus Pecten O.F. Müller, 1776. Within the same kingdom, one generic name can apply to one genus only. However, many names have been assigned (usually unintentionally) to two or more different genera. For example,
276-445: A perforation of the normally plate-shaped ridges in this position. The neck ribs are delicate, thin and rod-shaped. Parallel to the ribs, on the outer side of the neck a cable-shaped structure was discovered with a constant diameter of three millimetres. It had an oval cross-section and a rough and striated surface. The structure originated directly behind the skull and continued over a length of several vertebrae, thus of some metres. It
322-409: A reference for designating currently accepted genus names as opposed to others which may be either reduced to synonymy, or, in the case of prokaryotes, relegated to a status of "names without standing in prokaryotic nomenclature". An available (zoological) or validly published (botanical) name that has been historically applied to a genus but is not regarded as the accepted (current/valid) name for
368-431: A sauropod skull. This proved to be connected to the first few cervical vertebrae. In 2016, the type species Sarmientosaurus musacchioi was named and described by Rubén Darío Francisco Martínez , Matthew Carl Lamanna , Fernando Emilio Novas , Ryan C. Ridgely, Gabriel Andrés Casal , Javier E. Martínez, Javier R. Vita and Lawrence M. Witmer . The generic name refers to the town of Sarmiento . The specific name honours
414-427: A taxon; however, the names published in suppressed works are made unavailable via the relevant Opinion dealing with the work in question. In botany, similar concepts exist but with different labels. The botanical equivalent of zoology's "available name" is a validly published name . An invalidly published name is a nomen invalidum or nom. inval. ; a rejected name is a nomen rejiciendum or nom. rej. ;
460-405: A top process of the lacrimal bone , being wedged between its outer side and inner side. The inner edge of the rear part of the ascending branch of the maxilla touches the rim of the bony nostril with a low but distinct ridge. The ascending branch of the quadratojugal has at its lower rear a tongue-shaped process overlapping the rear of the quadrate. In the braincase there are three separate exits for
506-455: A total of c. 520,000 published names (including synonyms) as at end 2019, increasing at some 2,500 published generic names per year. "Official" registers of taxon names at all ranks, including genera, exist for a few groups only such as viruses and prokaryotes, while for others there are compendia with no "official" standing such as Index Fungorum for fungi, Index Nominum Algarum and AlgaeBase for algae, Index Nominum Genericorum and
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#1732798453728552-451: A very long front branch and an almost absent rear branch. The fifth cranial nerve , the nervus trigeminus , has extra exits for the branches towards the maxilla and the lower jaw, whereas other sauropods possess but single exit. The front of the lower jaw has an almost constant height. The praemaxilla bears four teeth, the maxilla eleven (right side) or twelve (left), and the dentary thirteen. The premaxillary teeth are positioned vertically,
598-440: Is camellated, i.e. with many small air spaces inside. The middle neck vertebrae have oval, narrow and deep pleurocoels in their sides, pneumatic excavations that nearly touch each other on the midline, separated by a narrow bone plate. The rear joint processes are uncommonly long, reaching beyond the edge of the vertebral body. The front joint processes are supported from below by struts with an oval cross-section, apparently formed by
644-612: Is discouraged by both the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants , there are some five thousand such names in use in more than one kingdom. For instance, A list of generic homonyms (with their authorities), including both available (validly published) and selected unavailable names, has been compiled by the Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera (IRMNG). The type genus forms
690-438: Is known, Epachthosaurus . It cannot be determined whether both taxa are identical because the material of their holotypes is not overlapping. However, the authors considered an identity as improbable because in their cladistic analysis both genera occupied different positions in the evolutionary tree. Also, fragmentary fossils, of postcranial bones that differ from those of Epachthosaurus and skull bones that are dissimilar to
736-416: Is running along the low side of the series of neck vertebrae and neck ribs. The skull has a length of forty-three centimetres. In top view the skull is more or less tongue-shaped. The antorbital fenestra is small but the eye socket is exceptionally large. In side view the snout is flat with a concave upper profile and surface. The maxilla touches the prefrontal. The jugal bone has an unusual L-shape with
782-460: Is somewhat arbitrary. Although all species within a genus are supposed to be "similar", there are no objective criteria for grouping species into genera. There is much debate among zoologists about whether enormous, species-rich genera should be maintained, as it is extremely difficult to come up with identification keys or even character sets that distinguish all species. Hence, many taxonomists argue in favor of breaking down large genera. For instance,
828-474: Is the type species , and the generic name is permanently associated with the type specimen of its type species. Should the specimen turn out to be assignable to another genus, the generic name linked to it becomes a junior synonym and the remaining taxa in the former genus need to be reassessed. In zoological usage, taxonomic names, including those of genera, are classified as "available" or "unavailable". Available names are those published in accordance with
874-426: The nervus trigeminus . An inner vein channel connecting the infundibulum with the brains stem, is lacking. The premaxillary teeth are positioned vertically, the maxillary teeth are inclining to the front and the dentary teeth are inclining to the rear. The middle neck vertebrae have strut-like, instead of plate-shaped, ridges between the front joint processes and the vertebral centrum. A long and thin ossified tendon
920-621: The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature ; the earliest such name for any taxon (for example, a genus) should then be selected as the " valid " (i.e., current or accepted) name for the taxon in question. Consequently, there will be more available names than valid names at any point in time; which names are currently in use depending on the judgement of taxonomists in either combining taxa described under multiple names, or splitting taxa which may bring available names previously treated as synonyms back into use. "Unavailable" names in zoology comprise names that either were not published according to
966-824: The International Plant Names Index for plants in general, and ferns through angiosperms, respectively, and Nomenclator Zoologicus and the Index to Organism Names for zoological names. Totals for both "all names" and estimates for "accepted names" as held in the Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera (IRMNG) are broken down further in the publication by Rees et al., 2020 cited above. The accepted names estimates are as follows, broken down by kingdom: The cited ranges of uncertainty arise because IRMNG lists "uncertain" names (not researched therein) in addition to known "accepted" names;
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#17327984537281012-484: The Sarmientosaurus cranium, show that in any case several titanosaur species were present in the habitat. Sarmientosaurus has an estimated length of twelve metres and a weight of ten tonnes. The describing authors indicated nine unique distinguishing traits, autapomorphies . The eye socket is large, equalling 40% of the length of the skull. The ascending branch of the maxilla has a complex connection with
1058-466: The Triassic Period . Among extant archosaurs , birds still possess antorbital fenestrae, whereas crocodylians have lost them. The loss in crocodylians is believed to be related to the structural needs of their skulls for the bite force and feeding behaviours that they employ. In some archosaur species, the opening has closed but its location is still marked by a depression, or fossa , on
1104-551: The cranes show them, though they are relatively shorter, at most two vertebrae long. Possible muscles, where it could have been located, are the Musculus rectus capitis anterior ventralis , the Musculus longus colli ventralis or the Musculi intertransversarii . The internal structure of the tendon, with much reworked bone tissue, indicated a swift ossification at a young age. Martínez and colleagues placed Sarmientosaurus in
1150-419: The nomenclature codes , which allow each species a single unique name that, for animals (including protists ), plants (also including algae and fungi ) and prokaryotes ( bacteria and archaea ), is Latin and binomial in form; this contrasts with common or vernacular names , which are non-standardized, can be non-unique, and typically also vary by country and language of usage. Except for viruses ,
1196-404: The platypus belongs to the genus Ornithorhynchus although George Shaw named it Platypus in 1799 (these two names are thus synonyms ) . However, the name Platypus had already been given to a group of ambrosia beetles by Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Herbst in 1793. A name that means two different things is a homonym . Since beetles and platypuses are both members of the kingdom Animalia,
1242-442: The base for higher taxonomic ranks, such as the family name Canidae ("Canids") based on Canis . However, this does not typically ascend more than one or two levels: the order to which dogs and wolves belong is Carnivora ("Carnivores"). The numbers of either accepted, or all published genus names is not known precisely; Rees et al., 2020 estimate that approximately 310,000 accepted names (valid taxa) may exist, out of
1288-523: The first seven vertebrae of the front neck. Several neck parts, among them the entire atlas and fourth neck vertebra, were too eroded to be salvaged. The specimen represents an elderly individual. It is one of the few titanosaurs for which skull material has been found. Uniquely, at the side of the neck an elongated structure was discovered that was identified as an ossified tendon. From the Bajo Barreal Formation another titanosaur sauropod
1334-446: The form "author, year" in zoology, and "standard abbreviated author name" in botany. Thus in the examples above, the genus Canis would be cited in full as " Canis Linnaeus, 1758" (zoological usage), while Hibiscus , also first established by Linnaeus but in 1753, is simply " Hibiscus L." (botanical usage). Each genus should have a designated type , although in practice there is a backlog of older names without one. In zoology, this
1380-737: The generic name (or its abbreviated form) still forms the leading portion of the scientific name, for example, Canis lupus lupus for the Eurasian wolf subspecies, or as a botanical example, Hibiscus arnottianus ssp. immaculatus . Also, as visible in the above examples, the Latinised portions of the scientific names of genera and their included species (and infraspecies, where applicable) are, by convention, written in italics . The scientific names of virus species are descriptive, not binomial in form, and may or may not incorporate an indication of their containing genus; for example,
1426-633: The largest component, with 23,236 ± 5,379 accepted genus names, of which 20,845 ± 4,494 are angiosperms (superclass Angiospermae). By comparison, the 2018 annual edition of the Catalogue of Life (estimated >90% complete, for extant species in the main) contains currently 175,363 "accepted" genus names for 1,744,204 living and 59,284 extinct species, also including genus names only (no species) for some groups. The number of species in genera varies considerably among taxonomic groups. For instance, among (non-avian) reptiles , which have about 1180 genera,
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1472-671: The late Eduardo Musacchio, an educator at the Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco . The Life Science Identifiers are 537DFE26-54EC-4978-AC86-E83A04FA74DE for the genus and C1090B8D-D051-44F3-B869-8B4A0C802176 for the species. The holotype , MDT-PV 2 , was found in the upper Lower Member of the Bajo Barreal Formation , dating from the Cenomanian to Turonian ages. It consists of an almost complete skull with lower jaws, articulated with
1518-399: The lizard genus Anolis has been suggested to be broken down into 8 or so different genera which would bring its ~400 species to smaller, more manageable subsets. Antorbital fenestra An antorbital fenestra (plural: fenestrae) is an opening in the skull that is in front of the eye sockets. This skull character is largely associated with archosauriforms , first appearing during
1564-543: The maxillary teeth incline to the front while the teeth of the lower jaw incline to behind, a unique configuration. The build of the teeth is in-between the more spatulate form of basal sauropods and the pencil shape of derived species. The teeth are moderately elongated. They each have sharply-angled wear facets in a high and a low position which, together with their strange orientation, indicates some special, as yet not fully understood, way of cropping vegetation. The neck vertebrae are long and elongated. Their internal structure
1610-403: The most (>300) have only 1 species, ~360 have between 2 and 4 species, 260 have 5–10 species, ~200 have 11–50 species, and only 27 genera have more than 50 species. However, some insect genera such as the bee genera Lasioglossum and Andrena have over 1000 species each. The largest flowering plant genus, Astragalus , contains over 3,000 species. Which species are assigned to a genus
1656-428: The name could not be used for both. Johann Friedrich Blumenbach published the replacement name Ornithorhynchus in 1800. However, a genus in one kingdom is allowed to bear a scientific name that is in use as a generic name (or the name of a taxon in another rank) in a kingdom that is governed by a different nomenclature code. Names with the same form but applying to different taxa are called "homonyms". Although this
1702-541: The provisions of the ICZN Code, e.g., incorrect original or subsequent spellings, names published only in a thesis, and generic names published after 1930 with no type species indicated. According to "Glossary" section of the zoological Code, suppressed names (per published "Opinions" of the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature) remain available but cannot be used as the valid name for
1748-470: The same kind as other (analogous) genera. The term "genus" comes from Latin genus , a noun form cognate with gignere ('to bear; to give birth to'). The Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus popularized its use in his 1753 Species Plantarum , but the French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656–1708) is considered "the founder of the modern concept of genera". The scientific name (or
1794-408: The scientific epithet) of a genus is also called the generic name ; in modern style guides and science, it is always capitalised. It plays a fundamental role in binomial nomenclature , the system of naming organisms , where it is combined with the scientific name of a species : see Botanical name and Specific name (zoology) . The rules for the scientific names of organisms are laid down in
1840-497: The specific name particular to the wolf. A botanical example would be Hibiscus arnottianus , a particular species of the genus Hibiscus native to Hawaii. The specific name is written in lower-case and may be followed by subspecies names in zoology or a variety of infraspecific names in botany . When the generic name is already known from context, it may be shortened to its initial letter, for example, C. lupus in place of Canis lupus . Where species are further subdivided,
1886-412: The standard format for a species name comprises the generic name, indicating the genus to which the species belongs, followed by the specific epithet, which (within that genus) is unique to the species. For example, the gray wolf 's scientific name is Canis lupus , with Canis ( Latin for 'dog') being the generic name shared by the wolf's close relatives and lupus (Latin for 'wolf') being
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1932-407: The surface of the skull called the antorbital fossa . The antorbital fenestra houses a paranasal sinus that is confluent with the adjacent nasal capsule. Although crocodylians walled over their antorbital fenestra, they still retain an antorbital sinus. In theropod dinosaurs , the antorbital fenestra is the largest opening in the skull. Systematically, the presence of the antorbital fenestra
1978-403: The taxon is termed a synonym ; some authors also include unavailable names in lists of synonyms as well as available names, such as misspellings, names previously published without fulfilling all of the requirements of the relevant nomenclatural code, and rejected or suppressed names. A particular genus name may have zero to many synonyms, the latter case generally if the genus has been known for
2024-576: The values quoted are the mean of "accepted" names alone (all "uncertain" names treated as unaccepted) and "accepted + uncertain" names (all "uncertain" names treated as accepted), with the associated range of uncertainty indicating these two extremes. Within Animalia, the largest phylum is Arthropoda , with 151,697 ± 33,160 accepted genus names, of which 114,387 ± 27,654 are insects (class Insecta). Within Plantae, Tracheophyta (vascular plants) make up
2070-429: The virus species " Salmonid herpesvirus 1 ", " Salmonid herpesvirus 2 " and " Salmonid herpesvirus 3 " are all within the genus Salmonivirus ; however, the genus to which the species with the formal names " Everglades virus " and " Ross River virus " are assigned is Alphavirus . As with scientific names at other ranks, in all groups other than viruses, names of genera may be cited with their authorities, typically in
2116-486: Was interpreted by the describing authors as an ossified tendon . The alternative hypothesis that it might be a neck rib was rejected because the ribs are thicker and should have a different position. Such tendons might have been a continuation of the neck ribs, but again, its position did not confirm this. Instead, it was assumed to have been internal to some neck muscle. Such ossified tendons have never before been found in any fossil dinosaur but some extant bird groups such as
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