Division (taxonomy)
A taxonomic rank with different usage in botany and zoology.
In taxonomy, the term division has different meanings depending on the field. Botany and mycology use it as a traditional name for a rank now considered equal to phylum. Zoology treats it as an optional rank placed between infraclass and legion or cohort.
Quick Facts
- Field
- Biological taxonomy
- Known for
- Rank used differently in zoology and botany; in botany equivalent to phylum
Facts from the source article.
Proposals for standardisation
In 1978, botanists including Harold Charles Bold, Arthur Cronquist, and Lynn Margulis proposed replacing the term division with phylum in botanical nomenclature. They argued that maintaining different terms for the same rank across kingdoms created confusion, especially for unicellular eukaryotes. They suggested updating the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature to use phylum and subphylum, treating names originally published as divisions as if published as phyla.
Molecular phylogenetic classification
Molecular methods, particularly 16S ribosomal RNA analysis, helped establish major bacterial divisions in the 1980s. In 1985, Carl Woese and colleagues identified ten major groups of eubacteria through oligonucleotide signature analysis, noting these groupings were appropriately termed eubacterial phyla or divisions. This work provided early molecular evidence for the equivalence of bacterial divisions with phyla.
Viruses and prokaryotes
In 2020, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses formalised a 15-rank system using phylum rather than division. In 2021, the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes formally included the rank of phylum for the first time, adopting the suffix -ota for phylum names. This led to publication of names for 46 prokaryotic phyla, replacing some established names such as Proteobacteria becoming Pseudomonadota.
More in Taxonomy & Evolution
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced