In terms of genus and species, what will always anticipate claims to a species?

The concept of genus and species is rooted in biological classification, where the genus represents a group of species that are closely related and share a common ancestor. In patent law, particularly in the context of claiming inventions, the relationship between genus and species is key for determining what constitutes prior art.

A claim to a species is anticipated if there is prior art disclosing the entire genus to which the species belongs. Therefore, if an existing patent or publication covers a genus, it inherently includes all species within that genus. This means that any specific claim to an individual species would be considered anticipated and thus not patentable if the genus is already known.

Choosing the genus as the correct answer underscores this biological and patent law concept, as it serves as the broader category that encompasses the specific instances of the species. In other words, the existence of a genus encompasses all its species, making the genus sufficient to invalidate claims to any of its constituent species through anticipation.