The English language is a fascinating, constantly evolving entity, absorbing influences from countless other tongues throughout history. Still, this melting pot of vocabulary often leads to perplexing grammatical anomalies that trip up even the most seasoned writers and speakers. For students, academics, and science enthusiasts alike, one of the most frequently encountered quirks is the plural form of the word "species And that's really what it comes down to. Which is the point..
The plural of species is, quite simply, species.
Unlike the vast majority of English nouns, which form their plurals by adding an "-s" or "-es," the word "species" is an invariable
noun, meaning its spelling remains unchanged whether it refers to one kind of organism or many.
For example:
- One species of butterfly was discovered in the rainforest.
- Several species of butterfly were discovered in the rainforest.
- This species is endangered.
- These species are endangered.
In each case, “species” stays the same. What changes is the word around it: “one” versus “several,” “this” versus “these,” and “is” versus “are.”
Why “Species” Is Different
The word “species” comes from Latin, where the singular and plural forms are also identical. Worth adding: english borrowed the term, especially through science and taxonomy, and preserved its original form. In scientific classification, “species” refers to a specific group of living organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, or that share key biological characteristics.
Because the word entered English through formal scientific usage, it retained a more classical shape than many everyday nouns. That is why “species” feels more unusual than a word like “cat” or “bird,” which simply become “cats” and “birds” in the plural.
Singular or Plural Verb?
One common source of confusion is verb agreement. Since “species” can be either singular or plural, the verb depends on the meaning of the sentence.
Use a singular verb when you mean one species:
- This species of moth is active at night.
- A new species of deep-sea fish has been identified.
- The species was first described in the nineteenth century.
Use a plural verb when you mean more than one species:
- These species share a common ancestor.
- Several species of coral are dying because of rising ocean temperatures.
- The researchers studied five species of lizards.
A useful test is to replace “species” with a clearly singular or plural noun:
- This species of frog is rare. → This frog is rare.
- These species of frog are rare. → These frogs are rare.
If “is” sounds correct, use “is.” If “are” sounds correct, use “are.”
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake is adding an “es” to make “species” plural Small thing, real impact..
Incorrect:
- There are many specieses of birds in this region.
- The study compared three specieses of bacteria.
Correct:
- There are many species of birds in this region.
- The study compared three species of bacteria.
Another mistake is confusing “species” with “specie.” “Specie” is a separate word meaning money in coin form, as opposed to paper money or digital currency. It is not related to the plural of “species Most people skip this — try not to..
Incorrect:
- The animal species was listed as specie.
Correct:
- The species was listed as endangered.
“Species of” Phrases
The phrase “species of” can be especially confusing because the noun after “of” may be singular or plural:
- a species of shark
