The traditional genus. The genus name, making the binominal with the specific epithet, was a valuable idea dating back to early times and to its subsequent modification by Linnaeus; it then obliged the original author of a taxon to make a first classification which was helpful to all users at the time of the first naming. In the long phase of exploration of living organisms collected from the single ‘Recent’ time-plane, the genus taxon has proved to be an undoubted convenience in handling relatively similar species taxa of unknown and increasing variety as discovery unfolded; it has at least assisted with filing and has made possible many thought-approximations from disparate data. What is less certain and has been curiously little discussed is whether the genus has any biologic meaning of its own; tradition based on morphic study has provided a comfortable belief in such a meaning, but no adequate definition of any genetic basis has been forthcoming.

The Genus among fossils. Because in most cases the reconstruction of the original organism from the fossils is incomplete and unlikely to be improved appreciably in this respect, the genus of fossil species is a more remote concept than the genus of the living species; any certainty of biologic meaning is most unlikely to be provided from the genera of the paleontologic past. In addition the (extra) time dimension complicates the position; if the species of fossils are agreed to be entirely man-made (artificial), the genus grouping them can scarcely possess any natural qualities either.