Suborder

Suborder is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. It is below the rank of order, but above the rank of family. The ending of a suborder's scientific name is typically "-oidea".

Overview

In biological taxonomy, the suborder is a rank intermediate between order and family. It is usually applied in the classification of organisms that are a subdivision of an order. The names of suborders, like other taxonomic ranks, are usually capitalized in English. However, there are exceptions; for example, the suborder Serpentes in the order Squamata.

Usage

The use of the suborder rank is somewhat varied among different taxonomic schemes. In some classifications, it is often optional; for example, it was commonly used in the classification of insects, where suborders were often used to group families sharing similar characteristics, but this practice is no longer as common.

Examples

Some examples of suborders include the primate suborder Haplorhini, which includes humans, and the carnivore suborder Feliformia, which includes cats.

See also

• Taxonomy
• Biological classification
• Order
• Family

Suborder Resources
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