Type species

Okay kiddo, think of a type species like a special animal that is used to represent all the other animals in a certain group. It's kind of like how a mascot represents a school or sports team.

So, let's say we have a group of animals called dogs. There are lots of different types of dogs, like pugs, bulldogs, and golden retrievers. But, we need one special dog to be the "type species" that represents all dogs.

Scientists pick this special dog by looking at all the other dogs and choosing one that has certain characteristics that are common to all dogs. It's like picking the most average dog.

Once they have chosen the type species, scientists use it as a reference for all other dogs. They can study the type species and learn things about its characteristics that are common to all dogs.

So, in summary, a type species is a special animal that represents all the other animals in a certain group. Scientists pick it by choosing one that has certain characteristics that are common to all animals in that group.