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  3. Monotypic Genera: Uninformative, But Sometimes Necessary.
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  3. Monotypic Genera: Uninformative, But Sometimes Necessary.

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Monotypic genera: uninformative, but sometimes necessary.

Andrew V Z Brower1,2,3

  • 1National Identification Services, Plant Protection and Quarantine, USDA-APHIS, Frederick, Maryland, USA.

Cladistics : the International Journal of the Willi Hennig Society
|May 25, 2026

View abstract on PubMed

Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Monotypic genera, often problematic in taxonomy, are reviewed. This study examines when they are necessary in cladistics and highlights issues with their use in naming, using skipper butterflies as a case study.

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Area of Science:

  • Systematic Botany
  • Zoology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Monotypic genera pose challenges in cladistics as they cannot be diagnosed by shared derived traits (synapomorphies).
  • Nomenclaturally, monotypic genera obscure species relationships, diminishing the semantic value of genus names.
  • The use of monotypic genera is debated in biological classification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the circumstances necessitating monotypic genera within cladistic frameworks.
  • To analyze instances where monotypic genera were established based on non-cladistic criteria like phenetics or evolutionary taxonomy.
  • To present a case study involving Hesperiidae (skipper butterflies) to illustrate these concepts.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of cladistic principles and taxonomic practices.
  • Analysis of historical and current taxonomic treatments of monotypic genera.
  • Phylogenetic and morphological examination of Hesperiidae species.

    • Main Results:

    • Identified specific cladogram structures that may require monotypic genera.
    • Demonstrated that some monotypic genera arise from phenetic or evolutionary taxonomic reasoning, not cladistics.
    • The Hesperiidae case study exemplifies the challenges and justifications for monotypic genera.

    Conclusions:

    • While generally undesirable, monotypic genera have defined roles within cladistic classification.
    • Their erection must be justified by phylogenetic evidence, not outdated taxonomic methods.
    • Understanding the basis for monotypic genera is crucial for accurate biological nomenclature and classification.