Lectotype

[M. Henri Day]

I was inspired to propose this word as GWotD by an article in the Science section of yesterday's New York Times, with the intriguing title In the Classification Kingdom, Only the Fittest Survive, which mentions that among Carolus Linnaeus' (the Latinised version of the researcher's name) «glories even include being designated as the so-called "lectotype," a kind of official scientific specimen to represent, for science and for all of time, the species Homo sapiens». I couldn't help thinking of J Craig Venter, who, it is reported, used his own DNA in his work to determine the «human genome». Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose....

Henri

[Slava]

I must admit to still being a tad confused over just what this word means, and how to use it in real life. I've read this post several times, looked the word up most times I've been here, but to no avail. Anyone care to go for a plain English explanation?

[tcward]

From the nether-regions of the Internet:

There are many terms used to describe other example specimens of a species called biological types:
• Paratype, A biological specimen other than the holotype used for the development of the original description.
• Isotype, A duplicate specimen of the holotype collected in the same place and time.
• Allotype a comparative specimen of the opposite sex to the holotype
• Neotype a substitute specimen selected if the holotype was destroyed or otherwise lost
• Isoneotype a duplicate of the neotype
• Syntypes. two or more specimens describing of a new species when the author did not select a holotype.
• Isosyntypes duplicates of a syntype.
• Lectotype One single specimen later selected from the syntypes as the definitive type example
• Paralectotypes After the definitive chosen of the lectotype the remainder syntypes become paralectotypes.
• Epitype A later specimen used as an interpretative type when the holotype, lectotype, or neotype, is ambiguous.

So... a lectotype is the definitive example.

I wonder if this could be compared/contrasted to a stereotype?

[Perry]

Contrasted, I would say.

a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment