Biology · The Living World · NEET
A genus is a group of closely related species. These species share many common features (called characters) with each other, and they share more features with each other than with species in any other genus. In short: a genus is an aggregate (a collection) of species that are close relatives. NCERT wording: 'genera are aggregates of closely related species.'
Genus represents a group of closely related species. It does NOT represent one single organism, and it does NOT represent a group of families. Be careful: a group of related families is an 'order', not a genus. NEET has directly asked 'Genus represents ___' and the answer is 'a group of closely related species'.
Genus is ABOVE species. Species is the lowest (most specific) rank. Genus is the next rank up. So one genus can contain several species. Order from low to high: Species → Genus → Family → Order → Class → Phylum → Kingdom. Remember: fewer common features as you go UP, more common features as you go DOWN.
A species is one single kind of organism whose members are very similar and can breed among themselves. A genus is bigger — it is a group of related species. Example: 'tiger' is a species (Panthera tigris), but 'Panthera' is the genus that also holds lion and leopard. In a scientific name the FIRST word is the genus, the SECOND word is the species (specific epithet).
Yes. A genus may have one species or many species. Each genus may have one or more than one specific epithet. What matters is that all the species inside it (if more than one) share morphological similarities and are related. So a genus with a single species is still a valid genus.
Panthera (lion, leopard, tiger) shares several common features among its species. Felis (cats) shares its own set of features. Because Panthera species have more in common with each other than with the cats of Felis, they are placed in a separate genus. This shows the rule: species in the SAME genus share more characters than species in DIFFERENT genera.
Genus represents __________.
'X' and 'Y' are the components of Binomial nomenclature. This naming system was proposed by 'Z':
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
A genus is a group of closely related species that share many common features.
Panthera (holds lion, leopard and tiger) and Solanum (holds potato and brinjal). Felis is the genus for cats.
The FIRST word. In Mangifera indica, 'Mangifera' is the genus. The genus name always starts with a capital letter.
With a capital first letter and in italics (or underlined when handwritten), e.g. Panthera. After the first mention, the genus can be shortened, like P. pardus for Panthera pardus.
No. Genus is LOWER than family. A family is a group of related genera. The rank order upward is: Species → Genus → Family → Order → Class → Phylum → Kingdom.
