taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined.[1]
Incertae sedis (Latin for "of uncertain placement"), abbreviated "inc. sed.", is a term used to define aExamples[]
The taxonomy for humans is usually recognized as follows:
- Empire Neomura - along with all the living organisms, except eubacteria.
- Domain Eukaryota - along with all other nucleated organisms.
- Kingdom Animalia - along with all other animals
- Phylum Chordata - along with all other vertebrates and the invertebrate chordates
- Class Mammalia - along with all other mammals
- Order Primates - along with all other primates
- Superfamily Hominoidea - along with all other apes
- Family Hominidae - along with all other great apes
- Subfamily Homininae - along with gorillas and chimpanzees
- Tribe Hominini - along with chimpanzees
- Subtribe Hominina - along with Australopithecus and prehistoric humans
- Genus Homo - along with Homo erectus and other prehistoric humans
- Species H. sapiens - humans
- Genus Homo - along with Homo erectus and other prehistoric humans
- Subtribe Hominina - along with Australopithecus and prehistoric humans
- Tribe Hominini - along with chimpanzees
- Subfamily Homininae - along with gorillas and chimpanzees
- Family Hominidae - along with all other great apes
- Superfamily Hominoidea - along with all other apes
- Order Primates - along with all other primates
- Class Mammalia - along with all other mammals
- Phylum Chordata - along with all other vertebrates and the invertebrate chordates
- Kingdom Animalia - along with all other animals
- Domain Eukaryota - along with all other nucleated organisms.
If modern humans were newly discovered or considered to be a taxonomic enigma, they might be given the rank of incertae sedis. For example, if it were uncertain how Homo related to other members of the family Hominidae, a list of the great apes would look like this:
- Kingdom Animalia
Likewise, if humans were known to be primates, but no other relationships were clear, a taxonomy of the primates would look like this:
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Chordata
- Class Mammalia
- Order Primates
- Genus Homo incertae sedis
- Suborder Strepsirrhini - non-tarsier prosimians
- Suborder Haplorrhini - tarsiers, monkeys and apes
- Order Primates
- Class Mammalia
- Phylum Chordata