Table 3.

Commonly used type terminology (for complete list of accepted terms see www.insdc.org)

Kind of type	Code of nomenclature	Definition
Name-bearing types
Holotype	ICNafp, ICZN	There is only one holotype, usually a single specimen, and the ‘name-bearer’ of its described taxon. It serves as the standard to which all subsequent examples of the described taxon are compared.
Type strain	ICNP	Equivalent term to holotype used for prokaryotes. There can be multiple co-identical type strains, cultured from a single source.
Neotype	ICNafp, ICZN	If the holotype is lost or destroyed, a neotype specimen is designated from a collection considered to be representative of the original holotype. There is only one neotype.
Neotype strain	ICNP	The equivalent term to neotype used for prokaryotes.
Isotype	ICNafp	One or more duplicate specimens from the holotype collection can be deposited in other institutions. Usually the collection number is the same as the holotype, but the institution code has to be different. Iso- can be appended to other kinds of types to indicate duplicates, e.g. isosyntype, etc. Isotype is not a formally accepted term in the Zoological Code.
Non name-bearing types and additional terms
Paratype	ICNafp, ICZN	One or more additional specimens chosen to further illustrate traits in the described taxon.
Epitype	ICNafp	In botanical nomenclature only, a type designated to expand on the original holotype concept. There should be only one epitype.
Culture from –type	ICNafp	Also, sometimes designated ex-type, e.g. ex-holotype, etc. There can be multiple of these. The types of cultivable, microbial eukaryotes must be inactivated and one or preferably more living cultures is extracted from the type and maintained in living culture collections.
Reference material/Reference strain	not designated in any code	The reference material and reference strain qualifiers are not types, but internal INSDC terms used to capture any reference strain or material exclusively of types.