loomeliigi

Loomeliigi is the Estonian term for an animal species, a basic unit of biological classification within the kingdom Animalia. The word combines loom (animal) with liik (kind or species). In Estonian grammar, loomeliigi is the genitive singular form; the nominative singular is loomeliik, the plural is loomeliigid, and the genitive plural is loomeliikide. These forms appear in scientific writing as well as in educational texts, for example: "Homo sapiens on loomeliik" and "loomeliigi ohustatus."

In biology, a loomeliik is typically defined as a population of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, sharing a common gene pool. However, there is no single universal species concept; different approaches exist, such as the biological, phylogenetic, and ecological species concepts. The term loomeliik is used to distinguish animal species from taimeliik, which refers to plant species. In Estonian conservation and wildlife literature, loomeliik is the standard term for a species under study or protection, and phrases like "loomeliigi ohustatus" (the conservation status of a species) are common.

Examples of loomeliigid include Pan troglodytes (chimpanzee) and Ursus arctos (brown bear). In practice, scientists document loomeliigid with binomial nomenclature, while legal and biodiversity databases use the Estonian term alongside its international names. The concept of loomeliigi serves to facilitate discussion of biodiversity in Estonian while aligning with global taxonomic practices.