superfamily

English

Etymology

From super- +‎ family.

Pronunciation

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Noun

superfamily (plural superfamilies)

1. (taxonomy) A taxonomic category above family and below order (and its subdivisions).
   • 1967, Zoologische Verhandelingen, page 32:

     There is no reason to deny a natural sequence or to split off genera only to have to attempt later to re-insert them into the whole by means of subordos and superfamilies.

   • 1978, Philip D. Gingerich, New Condylarthra (Mammalia) from the Paleocene and Early Eocene of North America, page 289:

     The genus Saipanetta has been suggested to be a surviving relict of the metacopidan superfamily Healdiacea because of its muscle scar pattern and narrow duplicature; nevertheless, it differs from the Metacopida in its more complex hingement, lack of a distinct contact groove, exaggerated domiciliar asymmetry, and lack of posterior ridges or angulations.

2. (molecular biology) A large group of related proteins or other molecules.

Translations

taxonomic category

• Catalan: superfamília f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 總科／总科 (zǒngkē)

• Finnish: yläheimo (fi)
• French: superfamille (fr) f
• Galician: superfamilia (gl) f
• German: Oberfamilie, Überfamilie f, Superfamilie f
• Swedish: överfamilj (sv) c
• Volapük: lefamül, superfamilia

group of related proteins or other molecules

• Finnish: superperhe
• French: superfamille (fr) f
• Italian: superfamiglia (it)
• Portuguese: superfamília
• Spanish: superfamilia (es)