Meaning of epitype | Babel Free

Definitions

1. An additional, clarifying type (specimen or illustration) of a species or lower-order taxon, provided when the holotype and paratypes from the original classification are demonstrably ambiguous or insufficient.
2. An epigenetic alteration in a gene.

Examples

“It is clear, therefore, where any epitype, selected as an interpretive type⟳, should be sought. The selection of an epitype, in the absence of type⟳ or authentic material, would be important, for any further molecular work⟳ will need⟳ to have⟳ available a culture of the type⟳ species of the genus which has some nomenclatural standing, i.e. a culture derived from the epitype.”

“The epitype does not displace the primary type⟳ it is to interpret⟳, but rather supplements it.”

“In cases where a name-bearing type⟳ exists but does not show⟳ features needed for conclusive identification with a particular species circumscription, for example, one lacking spores, an interpretative type⟳, an epitype, can be designated to supplement information evident in the name-bearing type⟳. Epitypes are increasingly being designated in mycology today for sequenced material where DNA has not or cannot be recovered from the name-bearing type⟳.”

“To test⟳ this hypothesis our discussion is focused on finding evidence for gene-specific epitypes that supports or rejects cause-and-effect relationships between genotype, epitype and phenotype.[…]The first approach⟳ (A) examines the penetrance of transgenerationally inherited epitypes that are known to activate or silence the expression of disease related gene(s), which in turn⟳ correlate with onset of the "aberrant" disease phenotypes.[…]The second and less direct⟳ approach⟳ (B) searches out epitypes that are duplicated, as DNA sequences are duplicated, and examines multiple copies of DNA sequence and epitype that have⟳ been evolutionarily co-conserved.”

CEFR level