From: NCBI Taxonomy
Taxonomy Help [Internet].
Bethesda (MD): National Center for Biotechnology Information (US); 2011-.
NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
Table 1.
Relational terms in NCBI Taxonomy.
| Name category | Description | Number per TaxNode/TaxId |
|---|---|---|
| primary name | This is the designated label for the TaxNode | One per TaxNode |
| Formal relational terms (relying on definitions in the codes of nomenclature) | ||
| current name | The current name chosen out of all synonyms for the TaxNode. Will often overlap with primary name (except in a few cases) or, more rarely, basionym. | Up to one per TaxNode (where indicated) |
| basionym | The originally described name, attached to the type material | Up to one per name (where indicated), one to more per TaxNode |
| homotypic synonym | Names generated after the basionym (e.g. by moving it to a different genus), but sharing the same type | None to several per TaxNode |
| heterotypic synonym | Names with a different basionym and type from those mentioned above | None to several per TaxNode |
| Informal relational terms, public | ||
| acronym | Mainly used for viruses | None to several per TaxNode |
| equivalent | Used for informal names which a related but not synonyms | None to several per TaxNode |
| includes | Used for informal names which forms subset of a name | None to several per TaxNode |
| in-part | Used for formal names which forms subset of a name | None to several per TaxNode – can be duplicate across TaxNodes |
| blast name | Informal name for groups of organisms | Up to one per TaxNode (where indicated) |
| common name | Informal names in common usage – these are not comprehensively added | None to several per TaxNode |
| genbank acronym | Name type that ensures an acronym name type is displayed prominently in flat files | Up to one per TaxNode but excluding other genbank name types (where indicated) |
| genbank synonym | Name type that ensures a second synonym is displayed prominently in flat files | Up to one per TaxNode but excluding other genbank name types (where indicated) |
| genbank common name | Name type that ensures a vernacular name is displayed prominently in flat files | Up to one per TaxNode but excluding other genbank name types (where indicated) |
| Informal relational terms, not public | ||
| misspelling | Used for searches only | None to several per TaxNode |
| unpublished name | Used for searches only | None to several per TaxNode |