BioConcepts

holotypeHolotyp (ger.)

• A specimen chosen as the basis of the first description of a new species. (OED 2012)
  category type see also allotype morphotype

  1897

  A holotype in natural history is a particular individual deliberately selected by the author of a species, or it may be the only example of a species known at the time of original publication

  Schuchert, C. (1897). What is a type in natural history? Science 5, 636-640: 637f.

  1911

  [holotype:] the single specimen on which a description should be based

  Muttkowski, R.A. (1911). The composition of taxonomic papers. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 4, 194-217: 206.

  1912

  Holotype: A single specimen selected by the author of a species as its type, or the only specimen known at the time of description

  Banks, N. & Caudell, A.N. (1912). The Entomological Code. A Code of Nomenclature for Use in Entomology: 14f.

  1950

  [Holotype:] The single specimen designated or indicated as ›the type‹ by the original author at the time of the publication of the original description

  Hemming, F. (ed.) (1950). International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 4: 186.

  1982

  holotype In taxonomy, the single specimen designated or indicated as the type specimen of a nominal species by the original author at the time of publication or the single specimen when no type was specified but only one specimen was present.

  Lincoln, R.J., Boxshall, G.A. & Clark, P.F. (1982). A Dictionary of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics: 115.