taxonomic
tak-SON-uh-mik
Definition
Relating to the science of defining and naming groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek word 'taxis' (arrangement) and 'nomos' (law). The term emerged in the 19th century to describe the systematic classification of organisms.
In the news
The article uses the term to distinguish between researchers who classify animals by name and local communities who already knew the species existed, noting that scientific identification is often a process of formalizing existing knowledge.
Scientists in July 2026 confirmed a new monkey species in the Congo rainforest — the Likweli, only the fifth African monkey identified in 75 years — after its first blurry photograph, taken in 2008, failed to attract serious scientific attention for a decade.
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com