Legion (biology)
Encyclopedia
The legion, in biological
taxonomy
, is a non-obligatory taxonomic rank
within the Linnaean hierarchy
which is subordinate to the class
but superordinate to the cohort. It consists of a group of related order
s and has been employed in some classifications of birds and mammals.
Legions may be grouped into superlegions or subdivided into sublegions, and these again into infralegions.
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
, is a non-obligatory taxonomic rank
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...
within the Linnaean hierarchy
Linnaean taxonomy
Linnaean taxonomy can mean either of two related concepts:# the particular form of biological classification set up by Carl Linnaeus, as set forth in his Systema Naturæ and subsequent works...
which is subordinate to the class
Class (biology)
In biological classification, class is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, order, family, genus, and species, with class fitting between phylum and order...
but superordinate to the cohort. It consists of a group of related order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
s and has been employed in some classifications of birds and mammals.
Legions may be grouped into superlegions or subdivided into sublegions, and these again into infralegions.