Family (biology): Difference between revisions

'''Family''' ({{lang-la|familia}}, {{plural form}}: '''{{lang|la|familiae}}''') is one of the eightnine major [[Hierarchy|hierarchical]] [[taxonomic rank]]s in [[Linnaean taxonomy]]. It is classified between [[order (biology)|order]] and [[genus]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-03-19 |title=Taxonomy - Definition, Classification & Example |url=https://biologydictionary.net/taxonomy/ |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=Biology Dictionary |language=en-US}}</ref> A family may be divided into [[subfamily|subfamilies]], which are intermediate ranks between the ranks of family and genus. The official family names are [[Latin]] in origin; however, popular names are often used: for example, [[Juglans|walnut trees]] and [[Hickory|hickory trees]] belong to the family [[Juglandaceae]], but that family is commonly referred to as the "walnut family".

WhatThe belongsdelineation toof what constitutes a family—orfamily— or ifwhether a described family should be recognizedacknowledged— atis all—are proposedestablished and determineddecided upon by practicingactive [[taxonomists]]. There are nonot hardstrict rulesregulations for describingoutlining or recognizingacknowledging a family, butyet in plants,the theyrealm canof beplants, characterizedthese onclassifications theoften basisrely ofon both the vegetative and reproductive featurescharacteristics of plant species. Taxonomists oftenfrequently takehold differentvarying positionsperspectives abouton these descriptions, andleading thereto maya belack of nowidespread broad[[Consensus decision-making|consensus]] acrosswithin the scientific community for someextended timeperiods. The publishingcontinual publication of new data and diverse opinions oftenplays enablesa crucial role in facilitating adjustments and ultimately reaching a consensus over time.

In his work ''Philosophia Botanica'' published in 1751, [[Carl Linnaeus]] usedemployed the wordterm ''{{lang|la|familia}}'' in his ''{{lang|la|Philosophia botanica}}'' (1751) to denotecategorize majorsignificant plant groups ofsuch plants:as [[Tree|trees]], [[herb]]s, [[fern]]s, [[Palmae|palms]], and so on. HeNotably, usedhe restricted the use of this term onlysolely inwithin the book's morphological section, ofwhere thehe book,delved discussinginto discussions regarding the vegetative and generative organsaspects of plants. Subsequently, in French botanical publications, from [[Michel Adanson]]'s ''{{lang|fr|Familles naturelles des plantes}}'' (1763) and until the end of the 19th century, the word ''{{lang|fr|famille}}'' was used as a French equivalent of the Latin ''{{lang|la|ordo}}'' (or ''{{lang|la|[[ordo naturalis]]}}'').

Families canserve beas valuable usedunits for evolutionary, palaeontologicalpaleontological, and genetic studies becausedue theyto aretheir morerelatively stablegreater thanstability compared to lower taxonomic levels such aslike genera and species.<ref name="SahneyBentonFerry2010LinksDiversityVertebrates">{{cite journal | vauthors = Sahney S, Benton MJ, Ferry PA | title = Links between global taxonomic diversity, ecological diversity and the expansion of vertebrates on land | journal = Biology Letters | volume = 6 | issue = 4 | pages = 544–547 | date = August 2010 | pmid = 20106856 | pmc = 2936204 | doi = 10.1098/rsbl.2009.1024 }}</ref><ref name="SahneyBenton2008RecoveryFromProfoundExtinction">{{cite journal | vauthors = Sahney S, Benton MJ | title = Recovery from the most profound mass extinction of all time | journal = Proceedings. Biological Sciences | volume = 275 | issue = 1636 | pages = 759–765 | date = April 2008 | pmid = 18198148 | pmc = 2596898 | doi = 10.1098/rspb.2007.1370 }}</ref>