paratype

biology

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July 23, 2026

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In biology, a paratype is a specimen that was part of the original series of specimens used to describe a new species or subspecies, but it is not the holotype (the single specimen designated as the type). Paratypes help verify the identity of the holotype and illustrate the variation within the species.12

The term "paratype" is primarily used in zoological taxonomy. In contrast, the environmental component of a phenotype is also referred to as paratypic, distinct from the genotype. The adjective "paratypic" means deviating from type or atypical.13

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taxonomy
Verification and validation by type specimens
Paratypes are specimens used, along with the holotype, in the original designation of a new form; they must be part of the same series (i.e., collected at the same immediate locality and at the same time) as the holotype.
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Paratypes are specimens used, along with the holotype, in the original designation of a new form; they must be part of the same series (i.e., collected at the same immediate locality and at the same time) as the holotype.
Read More