gatunku

Gatunku is the genitive singular form of the Polish noun gatunek, which translates to “species,” “kind,” or “genre” in English. In biology, gatunek denotes a basic unit of classification that groups individuals capable of interbreeding under many concepts, though definitions of species vary by concept (for example the biological species concept or the phylogenetic species concept).

The form gatunku is used when gatunek appears in a genitive position, such as in phrases like “opis gatunku Homo sapiens” (description of the species Homo sapiens), “różnorodność gatunku” (diversity of the species), or “cechy gatunku” (traits of the species). Polish noun declension follows standard patterns: nominative singular gatunek, genitive singular gatunku, nominative plural gatunki, genitive plural gatunków. In plural contexts, gatunki refers to multiple species or kinds, and gatunków is the genitive plural form.

Beyond biology, gatunek also means “genre” or “kind” in cultural or artistic contexts, as in “gatunek muzyczny” (musical genre) or “gatunki literackie” (literary genres). In scientific writing, it is common to specify the genus name followed by the species epithet, for example “Homo sapiens,” with gatunku appearing in possessive constructions such as “opis gatunku Homo sapiens.” The term thus functions both as a taxonomic label and as a grammatical form used to express relations involving a species or category.