In biological taxonomy, a species nova (plural: species novae; abbreviation: sp. nov. plural abbreviation: spp. nov.) is a new species. [2] The phrase is Latin, [2] and is used after a binomial name that is being published for the first time. [3] The equivalent for a new genus name is genus novum, and familia nova for a biological family.
An example is the species of miniature frog, Paedophryne amauensis , originally described as Paedophryne amauensis sp. nov. in PLOS ONE in 2012. [1]
The term should not be confused with combinatio nova , used when a previously named taxon is moved to a different genus or species, or its rank is changed.