Editing Genus (section)

==Genus size==
[[File:Number of reptile genera with a given number of species.png|thumb|upright=1.35|Number of reptile genera with a given number of species. Most genera have only one or a few species but a few may have hundreds. Based on data from the [[Reptile Database]] (as of May 2015).]]

The number of species in genera varies considerably among taxonomic groups. For instance, among (non-avian) [[reptile]]s, which have about 1180 genera, the most (>300) have only 1 species, ~360 have between 2 and 4 species, 260 have 5–10 species, ~200 have 11–50 species, and only 27 genera have more than 50 species. However, some insect genera such as the bee genera ''[[Lasioglossum]]'' and ''[[Andrena]]'' have over 1000 species each. The largest flowering plant genus, ''[[Astragalus (plant)|Astragalus]]'', contains over 3,000 species.<ref name="Frodin">{{cite journal |last=Frodin |first=David G. |year=2004 |title=History and concepts of big plant genera |journal=[[Taxon (journal)|Taxon]] |volume=53 |issue=3 |pages=753–776 |jstor=4135449 |doi=10.2307/4135449|bibcode=2004Taxon..53..753F }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hutang |first1=Ge-Ran |last2=Tong |first2=Yan |last3=Zhu |first3=Xun-Ge |last4=Gao |first4=Li-Zhi |date=2023-03-13 |title=Genome size variation and polyploidy prevalence in the genus Eragrostis are associated with the global dispersal in arid area |journal=Frontiers in Plant Science |language=English |volume=14 |doi=10.3389/fpls.2023.1066925 |doi-access=free |pmid=36993864 |pmc=10040770 |bibcode=2023FrPS...1466925H |issn=1664-462X}}</ref>

Which species are assigned to a genus is somewhat arbitrary. Although all species within a genus are supposed to be "similar", there are no objective criteria for grouping species into genera. There is much debate among zoologists whether enormous, species-rich genera should be maintained, as it is extremely difficult to come up with identification keys or even character sets that distinguish all species. Hence, many taxonomists argue in favor of breaking down large genera. For instance, the lizard genus ''[[Anolis]]'' has been suggested to be broken down into 8 or so different genera which would bring its ~400 species to smaller, more manageable subsets.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Nicholson|first1=K. E.|last2=Crother|first2=B. I.|last3=Guyer|first3=C.|last4=Savage|first4=J.M.|date=2012|url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2012/f/zt03477p108.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2012/f/zt03477p108.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=It is time for a new classification of anoles (Squamata: Dactyloidae)|journal=Zootaxa|volume=3477|pages=1–108|doi=10.11646/zootaxa.3477.1.1|doi-access=free}}</ref>