holotypes

A holotype is the single physical specimen designated by the author of a species at the time of its formal description to serve as the name-bearing reference for that species. The holotype anchors the species name to a concrete example, providing a standard against which other specimens are compared to determine identity.

When a new species is described from more than one specimen, the remaining material cited in the description may be labeled paratypes. If no holotype was designated and multiple specimens were used, those are called syntypes. Later, a single specimen from the syntype series may be chosen to act as the lectotype, thereby stabilizing the name. If the original material is lost or deemed insufficient, a neotype may be designated to serve as the new name-bearing reference.

Holotypes are typically preserved in recognized institutions such as museums or herbaria and accompanied by data on collection locality, date, collector, and other supporting information. They are essential for taxonomic study, enabling researchers to verify diagnoses, compare new material, and resolve taxonomic revisions.

The concept of a holotype applies across biological disciplines, with some differences in terminology between zoology and botany. In practice, the holotype remains the primary reference point for the application of a species name, while additional type materials (paratypes, lectotypes, neotypes) help manage uncertainty when the original material is incomplete or unavailable.