Addoidea

Addoidea is a name that has appeared in zoological taxonomy as a proposed superfamily. The designation has been used in multiple, non-overlapping classifications over the years, but there is no single, widely accepted circumscription for the group.

Because taxonomic concepts shift with new data, the composition of Addoidea has varied by author and era. In some historical treatments it served as an umbrella for several related families; in others, the groups once placed there were reassigned to different superfamilies or orders. Modern molecular phylogenies have further unsettled or abandoned its usage in favor of more stable hierarchies.

Etymology: The name follows the standard practice of forming superfamily names with the suffix -oidea, but the root 'Addo' does not have a clearly documented meaning in published sources.

Status: Today Addoidea is generally regarded as obscure or obsolete in current taxonomic practice, appearing only in older literature or as a point of historical reference when discussing past classifications.

See also: Taxonomic rank, Superfamily, Historical taxonomy, List of taxonomic suffixes -oidea.