lectotype
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.65 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A biological specimen or illustration later selected to serve as definitive type example of a species or subspecies when the original author of the name did not designate a holotype.
Example Sentences
- "Where the original diagnosis is without illustrations or is accompanied by figues based on two or more specimens, the first subsequent author is at liberty to select from these cotypes a type for the old species, adhering, as far as can be ascertained to the intention of the original author. Such a type speciment is to be designated as a lectotype..."
- "The lectotype and paratype, which are before me, are both iron-stained, predominantly internal composite molds of left valves in a fine-grained, white quartzite matrix."
- "Lectotype designation is justified under article 74.1.1 of the ICZN (1999) in order to fix the status of this specimen as the sole name-bearing type of this species."
Etymology
From Ancient Greek λέκτος (léktos, “chosen”), from λέγειν (légein, “to choose”) + τύπος (túpos, “blow, impression”).