speciesvariety

Speciesvariety is a term encountered in some discussions of biodiversity and taxonomy, referring to aspects of variation that involve multiple species or infraspecific forms. It is not a universally standardized term, and its meaning can vary by discipline. Broadly, it can denote either the variety of species present in a given context (species diversity) or the variety within a single species (intraspecific variation recognized as varieties).

In botany, variety (var. or varietas) is a formal infraspecific rank below species. Varieties are populations within a species that differ in heritable traits, often in a geographic or ecological pattern. They are recognized and named within the species, and differences are typically stable across generations. Cultivated plants may use the term cultivar for human-selected varieties, and horticultural labeling often distinguishes these from wild varieties.

In zoology and more modern taxonomy, the term variety is largely obsolete or informal. The contemporary standard ranks for infraspecific grouping are subspecies, and occasionally forms, rather than varieties. When precision is required, researchers prefer subspecies for geographic differentiation and form/phenotype for non-geographic variation.

In ecology and general writing, “species variety” or similar phrasing may be used informally to describe the diversity of species in a community or the breadth of intraspecific diversity within a population. However, formal measurements of biodiversity typically employ metrics such as species richness, evenness, and various diversity indices.

See also: biodiversity, species richness, infraspecific taxa, variety (botany), subspecies, cultivar, taxonomic rank.