Taxon

A taxon (plural taxa) is a taxonomic group or taxonomic unit. It is a group of organisms which a taxonomist decides belong together.

Taxa can be big or small. A fairly small taxon is the giraffes, and a very big one is the beetles.

A taxonomist can assign a scientific name and rank to a taxon; this places it at a particular level in a hierarchy. It is not strictly necessary to assign either a name or a rank to a taxon, but a name and rank make it easier to discuss. However, many taxa have to wait for years before getting a name.