neotype

noun

neo·​type ˈnē-ə-ˌtīp 

: a type specimen that is selected subsequent to the description of a species to replace a preexisting type that has been lost or destroyed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

The neotype designation particularly rankles some critics because Ibrahim’s Spinosaurus, from Morocco’s Kem Kem formation, was found nearly 2,000 miles from Stromer’s Egyptian specimen. —Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2016

In their 2014 paper, however, Ibrahim’s team described their dinosaur as the neotype — essentially a new holotype — replacing Stromer’s lost dinosaur as the standard-bearer of the species. —Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2016

Word History

Etymology

neo- + type entry 1, after French néotype

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above