speciess

Speciess is not a standard term in biology or taxonomy. In published science, the word closest to it is “species,” and speciess does not appear as a recognized concept, taxon, or field on its own. It may be a typographical error for species or a coined term used in a specific work, game, or fictional setting.

If the intended term is species, a species is commonly described as the basic unit of biological classification. It refers to a group of natural populations that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring under natural conditions, and that are reproductively isolated from other such groups. Because real populations vary, scientists use several species concepts to delimit boundaries. The biological species concept emphasizes reproductive isolation; the morphological species concept relies on distinct physical traits; the phylogenetic species concept uses diagnosable differences reflected in evolutionary trees; the ecological species concept emphasizes adaptation to a unique niche; and the evolutionary species concept focuses on lineages with separate evolutionary trajectories. Delimiting species typically involves combining evidence from morphology, genetics, behavior, ecology, and reproductive data.

In other contexts, speciess could be encountered as a proper noun, a fictional term, or a brand name, with meaning determined by its specific use. Without a defined context, its interpretation remains ambiguous.

See also: species, speciation, taxonomy, nomenclature.