The plural of species is species, exactly the same as its singular form. One species is singular, while two species or many species are plural; surrounding words, especially determiners and verbs, reveal the intended number.
Key facts
Species is both the singular and plural form.
The singular is one species; the plural is two species or many species.
Use is, was, and has with a singular species.
Use are, were, and have with multiple species.
Specieses is generally incorrect in standard English.
Specie is a separate word meaning money in coins or physical payment.
What Is the Plural of Species?
The plural of species is species. English keeps the word’s spelling unchanged when referring to one biological kind, several biological kinds, or a general category of things with shared characteristics.
Examples make the rule clear:
- A species lives in this habitat.
- One species is native to the island.
- Two species live in the cave.
- Several species are protected by law.
- Many species have disappeared from the region.
The noun is often called an invariant noun or a zero-plural noun because its plural has no visible ending. The same pattern appears in words such as series, deer, sheep, and aircraft, although each word has its own usage history.
The unchanged spelling does not make the grammar irregular in practice. English readers identify number through articles, demonstratives, quantifiers, verbs, and nearby nouns.
Is Species Singular or Plural?
Species can be singular or plural, depending on the words around it. A singular species normally appears with a, one, this, each, or a singular verb, while a plural species commonly appears with these, many, several, or a plural verb.
| Quantity | Typical determiner | Verb pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| One | a, one, this, each | is, was, has | This species is nocturnal. |
| More than one | two, many, several | are, were, have | These species are nocturnal. |
| Unspecified number | some, various, certain | depends on meaning | Some species are migratory. |
| Species as a category | the, a recognized | depends on reference | The species is difficult to identify. |
How Can You Tell Which Number Species Means?
Look first at the determiner, then confirm the verb. In “This species is rare,” both this and is signal singular number. In “These species are rare,” both these and are signal plurality.
When no determiner appears, the verb usually provides the strongest clue:
- Species is a taxonomic rank.
- Species are disappearing from the wetland.
The second sentence refers to multiple kinds collectively. The first sentence treats species as a singular taxonomic concept.
A prepositional phrase does not determine the number. In “The species of frog is unusual,” the head noun is species, and the phrase of frog supplies additional information. In “The species of frogs are unusual,” the plural verb indicates that the writer means multiple species, not one species consisting of several frogs.
Why Does Species Keep the Same Spelling?
Species keeps the same spelling because English borrowed it from Latin, where species was already a form used for both singular and plural meanings. Modern English retained that form rather than adding the regular ending -s or -es.
The Latin history also explains why the word looks different from ordinary English plurals. A noun such as bird becomes birds, but species already ends in an s sound and does not need another plural marker.
The word has also developed broader meanings. In biology, a species is a recognized group of organisms. In general English, species can mean a type, class, or kind. The unchanged form applies in both uses:
- A species of metal was used in the experiment.
- Several species of metal appear in the archive.
The grammar is more important than the origin. Writers do not need to know Latin to use species correctly, but the etymology explains why regular forms such as specieses are not normally used.
How Should Verbs Agree With Species?
Verbs agree with the meaning of species, not with the final letter s. A singular species takes singular forms such as is, was, and has; multiple species take plural forms such as are, were, and have.
| Sentence | Number | Correct verb | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| This species is protected. | Singular | is | This identifies one species. |
| Each species has a range. | Singular | has | Each is grammatically singular. |
| These species are related. | Plural | are | These identifies multiple species. |
| Several species have migrated. | Plural | have | Several requires a plural verb. |
| The species was recorded once. | Singular | was | One taxon is intended. |
| The species were recorded separately. | Plural | were | Multiple taxa are intended. |
Which Determiners Signal a Singular Species?
The determiners a, one, this, and each signal a singular species. The word every also takes a singular noun and singular verb: “Every species has a characteristic range.”
Common singular constructions include:
- a species
- one species
- this species
- that species
- each species
- every species
- the only species
The determiner the does not automatically indicate singular or plural. Compare “the species is declining,” which refers to one species, with “the species are declining,” which refers to multiple species.
Which Determiners Signal Multiple Species?
The determiners these, those, many, several, various, and numerous signal multiple species. They require plural verbs when species is the grammatical subject.
Examples include:
- many species are vulnerable
- several species have adapted
- these species were introduced
- various species occur in the forest
- those species are absent from the survey
The quantifier some can refer to one or many depending on the noun, but with species it normally introduces a plural group: “Some species are active at night.”
Is Species a Countable Noun?
Species is a countable noun when it refers to distinct biological or conceptual kinds. Writers can count one species, three species, or approximately 200 species, while the noun itself remains unchanged.
| Count expression | Correct phrase | Incorrect phrase |
|---|---|---|
| One | one species | one specieses |
| Two | two species | two specieses |
| Approximate count | about 40 species | about 40 specieses |
| Large quantity | thousands of species | thousands of specieses |
| Fractional comparison | half the species | half the specieses |
The word species can also appear in a broader category phrase, such as “a species of argument” or “a species of mineral.” These uses are countable when the writer distinguishes separate kinds.
Avoid adding an unnecessary plural ending after a number. “Five species” already expresses plurality because the number supplies the quantity.
What Does “Species of” Mean?
Species of introduces the category or organism being classified. The noun after of can be singular or plural, but the main verb still agrees with species.
- One species of beetle is native.
- Three species of beetle are native.
- Three species of beetles are native.
Both “species of beetle” and “species of beetles” can be grammatical. The singular beetle treats the phrase as a category label, while plural beetles emphasizes the organisms represented by that category.
Is “Specieses” Ever Correct?
Specieses is not the standard plural of species and should normally be avoided in school, business, scientific, and general writing. The accepted plural remains species, even when the writer refers to a large or precisely counted group.
A writer who uses specieses may be trying to remove ambiguity, but the added ending creates a nonstandard form for most readers. Rewrite the sentence instead:
- Incorrect in standard usage: The study identified six specieses.
- Standard: The study identified six species.
- Clear alternative: The study identified six distinct species.
- Clear alternative: The study identified six species of bird.
Rare technical or historical texts may contain unusual formations, but those occurrences do not establish specieses as the normal modern-English plural. Scientific style guides, textbooks, and edited publications overwhelmingly use species for both numbers.
What Is the Difference Between Species and Specie?
Species refers to a biological or general category, while specie is a separate financial term meaning coins or money in physical form. The words are not singular and plural versions of each other.
| Word | Meaning | Example | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| species | Biological kind | This species is endangered. | Biology |
| species | Several kinds | Ten species are present. | Ecology |
| specie | Coins or physical money | The debt was paid in specie. | Finance |
| specie | Metallic currency | The bank held specie reserves. | Economic history |
The expression payment in specie means payment in actual coins, bullion, or another specified physical form rather than paper currency, credit, or a financial substitute. It does not refer to an animal, plant, or taxonomic group.
Pronunciation can also differ by speaker and context. Species is commonly pronounced SPEE-sheez or SPEE-seez. Specie is commonly pronounced SPEE-shee. Meaning and spelling provide the reliable distinction.
How Are Species Abbreviated in Scientific Writing?
Scientific writers use sp. for one unspecified species in a known genus and spp. for multiple unspecified species in that genus. The genus name is italicized, while sp. and spp. are not italicized.
| Form | Meaning | Example | Italics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canis lupus | A named species | Canis lupus | Both names italicized |
| Canis sp. | One unidentified species | Canis sp. | Genus only italicized |
| Canis spp. | Several unidentified species | Canis spp. | Genus only italicized |
| Canis species | General reference | Canis species | Style may vary; genus italicized |
The abbreviations follow the genus, not the common name. Quercus spp. means multiple unidentified species within the oak genus Quercus. Quercus sp. means one unidentified species within that genus.
Do not add an apostrophe to form either abbreviation. The periods are part of the conventional abbreviations, and the genus remains capitalized because it is the first part of a scientific name.
Should You Write “Species sp.”?
Species sp. is generally redundant and poor scientific style because sp. already means one unidentified species. Use the genus followed by sp., such as Salmonella sp.
Similarly, species spp. is not the normal construction. Use Salmonella spp. when referring to several unidentified species in that genus.
Scientific naming conventions vary slightly among journals and databases, so a manuscript should follow the target publication’s style guide. The core distinction remains stable: sp. means one unspecified species, and spp. means more than one.
How Does Species Compare With Similar Nouns?
Species is one of several nouns whose singular and plural forms are identical, but it should not be confused with nouns such as genus and fungus, which commonly change form in formal scientific English.
| Noun | Singular | Plural | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| species | species | species | One species, two species |
| series | series | series | One series, four series |
| deer | deer | deer | One deer, six deer |
| offspring | offspring | offspring | One offspring, several offspring |
| genus | genus | genera | One genus, two genera |
| fungus | fungus | fungi or funguses | One fungus, several fungi |
| cactus | cactus | cacti or cactuses | One cactus, several cacti |
The plural genera is especially important in taxonomy. A genus contains one or more related species, while a species is a narrower taxonomic rank. Therefore, “three genera” and “three species” describe different levels of biological classification.
English permits some competing plurals, including fungi and funguses, depending on field and style. It does not normally permit specieses as the equivalent plural of species.
What Are the Possessive Forms of Species?
The singular possessive is usually species’ or species’s, depending on the style guide and pronunciation. The plural possessive is also commonly species’ because the plural form already ends in s, so context or a rephrased sentence may be needed for clarity.
Examples:
- The species’ habitat was destroyed.
- The species’s habitat was destroyed.
- The habitats of several species were mapped.
Many academic and scientific styles prefer species’ for a singular noun ending in an unpronounced or pronounced final s, while general style guides may accept species’s. Follow the publication’s house style.
When two possessive forms could confuse the reader, use an of phrase. “The reproductive cycle of the species” is often clearer than choosing between species’ and species’s.
How Do You Proofread a Sentence With Species?
To proofread species, identify the number being discussed, inspect the determiner, and test the verb. This three-part check catches nearly every ordinary error without changing the noun’s spelling.
- Find the intended quantity. Ask whether the sentence refers to one kind or multiple kinds.
- Check the determiner. Match this, each, or one with singular meaning; match these, many, or several with plural meaning.
- Check the verb. Use is, was, or has for one species; use are, were, or have for multiple species.
- Remove false plurals. Replace specieses with species.
- Check the nearby noun. Do not let species of birds distract you from the number of species.
- Check the context. Replace species with kind, type, or variety only when the scientific meaning is not intended.
| Draft sentence | Diagnosis | Revised sentence |
|---|---|---|
| These species is rare. | Plural determiner with singular verb | These species are rare. |
| Each species have a range. | Singular determiner with plural verb | Each species has a range. |
| The region contains five specieses. | Nonstandard plural | The region contains five species. |
| A specie of frog was found. | Wrong noun | A species of frog was found. |
| This species are invasive. | Singular determiner with plural verb | This species is invasive. |
A useful editing test is to replace species temporarily with type. If the sentence becomes “These types are…”, the original should use “These species are…”. If it becomes “This type is…”, use “This species is…”.
When Should You Replace Species With Another Word?
Replace species when the intended meaning is a nonbiological category and a simpler word gives readers better context. Use kind, type, variety, class, or form according to the relationship being described.
| Intended meaning | Best alternative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Informal category | kind | A rare kind of stone |
| General classification | type | Three types of software |
| Horticultural variation | variety | A disease-resistant variety |
| Formal grouping | class | A class of chemical compounds |
| Physical version | form | A liquid form of the medicine |
| Biological taxon | species | Six species of butterfly |
Do not replace species in a scientific passage merely to avoid its unchanged plural. In ecology, conservation, zoology, botany, and taxonomy, species has a precise technical meaning that type or kind may weaken.
A non-expert audience may benefit from a brief definition on first use. For example: “The survey recorded four species, meaning four distinct biological kinds.” That clarification improves accessibility without sacrificing scientific accuracy.
What Are the Most Common Species Errors?
The most common errors are specieses, specie for a biological kind, and incorrect subject-verb agreement. Each error comes from treating the final s as if it followed ordinary plural rules or as if it automatically made the noun plural.
Error 1: Adding “-es”
Specieses is not the ordinary standard-English plural. Write species after a number or plural quantifier.
Error 2: Removing the Final “s”
Specie is not the singular form of species. Write a species, not a specie, when referring to an organism group.
Error 3: Matching the Verb to the Final Letter
The ending s does not prove that species is plural. “This species is threatened” is correct because this and is identify one species.
Error 4: Confusing Species With Individuals
One species can contain many individual organisms. “The species are numerous” means several biological kinds are numerous, whereas “The individuals are numerous” describes organisms within a species.
Error 5: Misreading “Species of”
The phrase after of does not control agreement. In “The species of bird is rare,” species is singular. In “The species of bird are rare,” the plural verb changes the intended meaning to multiple species.
How Does Species Work in Different Contexts?
Species takes the same singular-plural rule in scientific, educational, journalistic, legal, and general writing, but the surrounding vocabulary changes with the audience. The noun remains species in every context.
| Context | Singular example | Plural example | Preferred precision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecology | The species is declining. | Native species are declining. | Population and habitat |
| Taxonomy | This species belongs to Quercus. | These species belong to Quercus. | Scientific names |
| Education | A species has defining traits. | Several species share traits. | Plain explanation |
| Journalism | The species was rediscovered. | Five species were rediscovered. | Count and location |
| Finance | Not applicable | Payment in specie | Physical currency term |
In conservation writing, species often appears with measurable attributes such as population size, geographic range, reproductive rate, or threat category. The grammar rule does not change when the sentence includes technical data:
- The species has fewer than 200 mature individuals.
- The species have fewer than 200 mature individuals each.
The first sentence concerns one species. The second concerns multiple species, with each distributing the stated condition across the group.
What Does Species Mean Outside Biology?
Outside biology, species can mean a kind, sort, or class, although the word sounds more formal than type or kind. The same unchanged singular and plural forms apply in philosophical, legal, historical, and literary contexts.
Examples include:
- A species of political argument appears throughout the book.
- Several species of evidence may support a claim.
- This species of contract is recognized in older case law.
- Those species of error are difficult to detect.
The word is less common in everyday conversation than kind or type. A writer should preserve species when the formal classification is meaningful, but choose a simpler alternative when the audience does not need that register.
The financial expression in specie is a separate specialized use. In that phrase, specie relates to tangible payment, not to classification or living organisms.
FAQ About the Plural of Species
Is “species” always plural?
No. Species is singular when it refers to one kind, as in “This species is native.” It is plural when it refers to two or more kinds, as in “These species are native.” The determiner and verb reveal the intended number.
Can I say “two species”?
Yes. Two species is the correct phrase. The number supplies the plural meaning, but the noun does not change spelling. Write “The island contains two species,” never “The island contains two specieses” in standard English.
Is “a species” correct?
Yes. A species is the standard singular construction. Examples include “a species of orchid,” “a species of fish,” and “a species that migrates seasonally.” The singular article a requires a singular verb: “A species is present.”
What is the plural of species in Latin?
Modern English uses species for both singular and plural. Latin forms and historical declensions may explain the word’s origin, but English writers should not create a new plural based on Latin. Use one species and several species.
Is “species’” singular or plural possessive?
Species’ can represent either a singular or plural possessive, depending on context and style. “The species’ habitat” usually means the habitat of one species, while “the species’ habitats” can mean the habitats of several species. An of phrase removes ambiguity.
What is the plural of genus?
The traditional scientific plural of genus is genera. A genus is a taxonomic rank that can contain one or more species. Therefore, write “one genus,” “two genera,” “one species,” and “two species.”
The Bottom Line
The answer to whats the plural of species is species. The word has one spelling for singular and plural use, so write a species, one species, two species, or many species. Use is for one species and are for multiple species, avoid specieses, and reserve specie for physical money.
