Genus vs. Species: both genus and species are the terms which refer to a specific plant, animal, or any organism. The main difference between genus and species is their different biological classification. The genus comes first before the species, and the species can never state alone.
Let’s take a closer look at Genus versus Species:
| Number of Organisms | The genus contains more organisms as compared to species |
| Purpose | Both genus and species are used for the biological classification of organisms on earth. |
| Level of Ranking | If we talk about species Vs. genus, the genus is higher in ranking |
| Composition | Genus is composed of different species, while species are of different subspecies. |
Table of Contents
What Is Genus?
A genus is a term of taxonomic classification which ranks above the species and below the family. Genus consists of a collection of different species which have similar characteristics. In binomial nomenclature, the genus comes first, before species. For example, if we look at the scientific name of humans, Homo Sapiens. Homo is a genus.
What Is Species?
A species is a group of closely related organisms with similar characteristics and interbreeding to produce offspring. Specie is considered an essential unit of the classification system of the organism. In order to define a specific species, the ecological features, DNA sequences, and similarities can be considered.
7 Key Differences Between Genus And Species
| Components | Genus | Species |
|---|---|---|
| Description | A genus is a taxonomic rank that is used to classify living organisms, fossils, and viruses biologically. | Species is a group of an organism that have similar characteristics and can interbreed. |
| Name Derivation | The word genus is derived from a Greek word that means race. | Species is derived from Latin words that mean appearance. |
| Number Of Organisms | The genus contains a large number of organisms. | Species consist of a few numbers of the organism |
| Hierarchy Of Biological Classification | Genus comes below the family and above the species in a hierarchy of biological classification. | Specie is a natural taxonomic unit that ranks below the genus |
| Species & Subspecies | A genus contains several species in it, and a number of genera can form a subfamily. | A species has a number of subspecies in it, which are not included in writing the scientific name. |
| Binomial Nomenclature | Genus is the first word of an organism’s scientific name and is always written in italics. | Specie is the second word of the scientific name of an organism. |
| Interbreeding | The organism under the genus may or may not interbreed with each other. | An organism of the same specie or subspecies can produce offspring. |
Example of Genus and Species
Genus Examples
| Organism | Scientific Name | Genus |
|---|---|---|
| Humans | Homo Sapiens | Homo |
| Cats | Felis Catus | Felis |
Species Examples
| Organism | Scientific Name | Species |
|---|---|---|
| Humans | Homo Sapiens | Sapiens |
| Cats | Felis Catus | Catus |
Genus vs. Species Pros and Cons
Pros and Cons of Genus
Pros of Genus
- Genus is the first level of taxonomic classification.
- Genus is a higher classification than species.
Cons of Genus
- Genus is always written in italics, which is difficult to memorize.
- To ordinary people, it is unfamiliar and, for some, meaningless.
Pros and Cons of Species
Pros of Species
- Species is an essential level of classification of the organism.
- Species of an organism can provide information about it, like where it is from and how it looks.
Cons of Species
- In binomial nomenclature, to write a specie same, its genus must be written first.
- One species may have different names, which can cause confusion.
Comparison Chart
Comparison Video
Conclusion
Whether it is genus or species, both are an essential level of taxonomic names, also known as the scientific classification of an organism. Species are the taxonomic rank of an organism that have a lot of similarities and can interbreed. A genus is a group of closely-related different species. The main difference between species and genus is that species lie below the genus in the classification system while genus is a lower classification that lies below family but above the species.
